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art therapy

updated mon 24 jan 00

 

Denise Shalonis on sat 11 jan 97

hi,
i have recently graduated college and plan on attending graduate school for
art therapy. i was wondering if any of you use your ceramic skills for such
a field. if so any information would be helpful. i want to get others
opinions on the field before i make a fifty thousand dollar-or so-investment
in grad school (and of course i want to have my main work in ceramics
therapy).
thanks, denise

Bob Sneed on sun 12 jan 97

>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>hi,
>i have recently graduated college and plan on attending graduate school for
>art therapy. i was wondering if any of you use your ceramic skills for such
>a field. if so any information would be helpful. i want to get others
>opinions on the field before i make a fifty thousand dollar-or so-investment
>in grad school (and of course i want to have my main work in ceramics
>therapy).
>thanks, denise

this is very second hand i have a friend that has studied art therapy and
is presently teaching it to therapist as a tool not there primary focus.
he uses it to help facilitate the uncovering of issues not so much as
therapy. i have another friend who is a therapist , she has found that her
clients that have kids no longer dodge the session but actually look
forward to going simply because of the "art therapy" these are fluffy
stories next to the 50k you mentioned but it does seem to be a comming
field
bb

bob sneed

phyllis michele greenhouse on sun 12 jan 97

At 12:35 AM 1/11/97 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>hi,
>i have recently graduated college and plan on attending graduate school for
>art therapy. i was wondering if any of you use your ceramic skills for such
>a field. if so any information would be helpful. i want to get others
>opinions on the field before i make a fifty thousand dollar-or so-investment
>in grad school (and of course i want to have my main work in ceramics
>therapy).
>thanks, denise


hi denise...

for the past 12 years, i have been teaching clay classes at a local home
for the aged...it has been the most rewarding period of my clay
career...not only do i get to keep my hands in the mud, i am also able to
use this highly therapeutic tool with my students, who are frail elderly
between the ages of 77 and 97....the therapeutic aspects include, hand/eye
coordination, the tactile experience of actually handling the clay, mental
stimulation in allowing my students to actually choose some procedures and
projects, and the sheer reward in delivering their works upon completion of
a job well done...this leaves my pseudo grammas and grampas with such a
sense of satisfaction, that i find it hard to express....since these people
are in the last stages of their lives, they look forward to creating and
then sharing their works with family and friends, and in turn, the
recipients are so thankful that their relatives/friends are making such
good use of their time, that they eagerly encourage them to "keep going" !
more often then not, i can see some of my students with advanced ailing
health, bounce back from very debilitating illnesses, and just get into the
studio to finish up on a special project for someone that they have
promised it to...its a great impetus to want to keep producing and living !
i have thought all ages, and must admit that with younger, more vital
people, it IS an exciting atmosphere, but, to be giving this incredible
energy to the elderly, i feel this is where my true love of teaching finds
its true niche...

phyllis michele greenhouse
the earthspinner
http://www.icanect.net/~rapture

aka rapture on internet relay chat (come and join us)

Nan Dufresne on sun 12 jan 97

Denise; I used many gestalt techniques when I worked as a psych therapist.
Basic to this was a ball of moist clay which I kept on my desk. The client
manipulated the clay while he/she was talking about his problems/ When
verbaliztion slowed or became repetitive I drew attention to what had been
done with the clay and suggested "he" describe himself as the clay object.
This depersonalized the problem and was always productive. [I still use this
technique with myself to clarify my thinking about a problem.
] One time I sculpted a bust of a friend's mother from photos, since
the woman had died after a long seige of illness. The pictures of course had
been taken before the illness started. I kept making the bust look older
and older at my friends request until she and her husband were satisfied.
Somehow the sculpture was broken after firing so I began making a duplicate.
I asked the friends to check it ot before firing it. It was almost an exact
replicas of the original. They both instructed me to take out the aging
lines and plump outthe face until "mother" looked exactly like the pictures
I'd started with. My friend explained that her mother's long illness with
the necessary care and inconvenience had blocked memory of the
wonderful,vibrant person her Mom had been. Apparently the double sculpting
process had taken enough time and attention to set some wheels working to
erase the 3 yrs of negative memories. The couple swore that making the bust
was the best therapy possible for them and had resulted in improved family
relationships.

sSeems that the above example has unlimited possibilities. Hope it helps.

Nan Dufresne,NE WI





>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>hi,
>i have recently graduated college and plan on attending graduate school for
>art therapy. i was wondering if any of you use your ceramic skills for such
>a field. if so any information would be helpful. i want to get others
>opinions on the field before i make a fifty thousand dollar-or so-investment
>in grad school (and of course i want to have my main work in ceramics
>therapy).
>thanks, denise
>
>

Celine.Gura@alz.org on mon 13 jan 97

The school of the Art Institute of Chicago has an art therapy program. The
students intern at local Hospitals with professional Art therapists. IF you want
to talk to one in the field Call Rush University at 312-942-5000 and ask for
Georgia Grant. She is the art therapist there that I know.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Celine Gura

Clayphil on mon 13 jan 97

Denise,
I've been a practicing Art Therapist for 17years and clay can be a
wonderful media with some clients. However, an Art Therapist needs to
have some facility with a variety of media so he/she can fit the
theraputic approach to the needs of the client rather than forcing the
client to 'fit' to the media. Clay is one of many media tools you will
use as in Art Therapy. As to the field itsself, it is well established,
but times are tough in the healthcare related industries, downsizing,
managed care, etc. Just as art is often the first to be cut in the school
budget, so is Art Therapy in healthcare settings.
There are a few jobs around but often you have to develop your own. It
can be done and you will occationally use clay. Art therapy, in my
experience, is a field that needs to be pursued with the same , perhaps
more, vigor and disipline as the field of ceramics. Best of luck if you
decide to go into Art Therapy; it has been good to me. Clayphil.

Jonathan Kirkendall on mon 13 jan 97

Denise,
I am a lisenced psychotherapist, but presently am doing much more pottery
than psychotherapy. When I was looking around for graduate programs (8 years
ago), all of the art therapy programs I looked into wanted a painting/drawing
portfolio, and that was their emphasis. None of them had much use for
potting/sculpting skills. I ended up getting a masters in counseling, and
kept my couseling and my pottery very seperate. Only recently have I had any
inclination to begin combining the two, and that grew out of teaching several
pottery classes and watching people's creative process: what it brings up for
them, what blocks it, etc. I am about to start working parttime with an
HIV/AIDS supportive housing agency, and they want me to bring in both my
ceramics and counseling skills, so I hope to start taking some classes in
art therapy at a local college. We'll see what happens.

Jonathan in Yonkers, where I'm still hoping my dog will return after three
weeks...sigh.

Kirby Benson on wed 15 jan 97

Denise,

I have been a potter/artist forr over 30 years and am also a licensed
clinical counselor in New Mexico. In my career as a counselor I have
studied and used art therapy in a
limited way in my private practice and to a large extent in inpatient
treatment. I am not a registered art therapist but with an extensive
background in art before I became a therapist it was easy to learn art
therapy from others and apply it integrating both a background in art and
a background in clinical work. Most of the art therapists I know are
artists, but not all. Working with clay in art therapy is only one small
part of it. There are two basic applications of art therapy, one is "art
as therapy", and this more a process of doing art , and the other is "art
therapy", which draws on all of your clinical skills and involves theory,
application and treatment. If you are going into art therapy most of your
work will be inpatient.

Hope this helps,

Kirby Benson
Las Cruces, NM

kbenson@zianet.com

----------

mike/hilary/sarah/zoltan on wed 15 jan 97

Jonathan Kirkendall wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Denise,
> I am a lisenced psychotherapist, but presently am doing much more pottery
> than psychotherapy. When I was looking around for graduate programs (8 years
> ago), all of the art therapy programs I looked into wanted a painting/drawing
> portfolio, and that was their emphasis. None of them had much use for
> potting/sculpting skills. I ended up getting a masters in counseling, and
> kept my couseling and my pottery very seperate. Only recently have I had any
> inclination to begin combining the two, and that grew out of teaching several
> pottery classes and watching people's creative process: what it brings up for
> them, what blocks it, etc. I am about to start working parttime with an
> HIV/AIDS supportive housing agency, and they want me to bring in both my
> ceramics and counseling skills, so I hope to start taking some classes in
> art therapy at a local college. We'll see what happens.
>
> Jonathan in Yonkers, where I'm still hoping my dog will return after three
> weeks...sigh.Jonathan--

Have you thought of using pottery for REBT? The linkages to buddist
philosophy and REBT have many similarities, and could be used effectively
in counselling.

Hilary in Yellowknife

Carol Craiglow on wed 15 jan 97

I would like to mention that there is a wonderful book called
"Art is a Way of Knowing" by Pat B. Allen (Shambhala, 1995) that is kind
of a teach yourself art therapy book.
She has a section on direct sculpture and she says:

"If you wish to contact your gut, clay, which is slippery and
dark and evokes dirt or even excrement, provides swift passage."

I this why we do it??

Carol

George C. Fenstermacher on thu 16 jan 97

I have lost the thread on this subject, but would like to send the
originator my experiences in using clay (slip/hand/wheel) with psychiatric
patients. I am a licensed recreational therapist in Utah.

George Fenstermacher
St. George Pottery
St. George, Utah

____________________________________________________________________

---------------------------------------------------------------------------



. X-X-X .
.X X.
.X {-------------------T_______{+_+}
.X {---------------------------{+_+}
.X X.
.X-X-X. GEORGE C. FENSTERMACHER
Southern Utah University
St. George Center
225 S. 700 E.
St George, Utah 84770

Phone 801-652-7841
FAX 801-652-7843

---------------------------------------------------------------------------



____________________________________________________________________

David McBeth on wed 5 feb 97

Some time back there was mention of a text about or regarding Art
Therapy. Naturally I deleted that reference a few days ago and now
there is a student in my office asking about it. If any one remembers
this reference would you please email me directly. thanks

dave
--
David McBeth, MFA
Associate Professor of Art and Art Ed
330 C Gooch Hall
University of Tennessee at Martin
Martin, TN 38238
901-587-7416
http://fmc.utm.edu/~dmcbeth/dmcbeth.htm

kathleen hill on sat 21 nov 98

I have been mulling over ideas about graduate study and am looking for
info about art therapy. Anyone out there have any info to share?

I live in NE Ohio and need to find a program that I can commute to or
other options???
Some summer travel for summer sessions/workshops would work also.

I have found a little bit on internet about wages and job descriptions,
but would like to hear from someone who is working in this field about
training, job availability, etc.

thanks,

Kathy in Ohio

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Bob Wicks on sun 22 nov 98

Hi Kathy:
I was a charter member of the American Art Therapy Association some years ago.
I think if you were to go to any University library that you would find a copy
of American Journal of Art Therapy. I think that is the correct title. If
not, just ask the librarian. They list the schools offering the program in
Art Therapy and also the employment opportunities available.

I wish you good luck as it is a great discipline to be involved in.

Bob Wicks, Prof. Emeritus
Harrisburg Area Community College

Deborah L. Blackwell on mon 23 nov 98

Kathy in Ohio,

If you're interested in moving to Wisconsin, Mount Mary in Milwaukee and
Edgewood in Madison both offer excellent Art Therapy programs. Many
others offer programs but then to actually receive a degree in art
therapy you need to transfer to one of the two mentioned.

Deborah

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Deb Pratt on tue 24 nov 98

Kathleen,
I can't tell you much about training or job availability except that if
you can find a school in your area that might let you use their career
search program (something like SIGI-Plus), you might be able to find
some info on it. If you have no access to anything like that, let me
know by off-list reply.
There is a school called Norwich University (Vermont College), phone
1-800-336-6794, that offers a distance learning art therapy masters over
fifteen months and requires summer residencies in Vermont.
I keep thinking about that for my second life... :)
Good luck-
Deb
>I have been mulling over ideas about graduate study and am looking for
>info about art therapy. Anyone out there have any info to share?
>
>I live in NE Ohio and need to find a program that I can commute to or
>other options???
>Some summer travel for summer sessions/workshops would work also.
>
>I have found a little bit on internet about wages and job descriptions,
>but would like to hear from someone who is working in this field about
>training, job availability, etc.
>
>thanks,
>
>Kathy in Ohio
>
>___________________________________________________________________
>You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
>Get completely free e-mail from Juno at
http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
>or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
>



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Merrie Boerner on fri 21 jan 00

Hi Carolyn,
I noticed that you are doing an internship in art therapy. My daughter
wants to get her masters in art therapy, but it is not offered in
Mississippi. Please tell me where you are getting your degree and any other
possibilities that you know of. She has witnessed first hand the beneficial
use of clay in my life : )
Merrie

Carolyn on sat 22 jan 00

Hi Merrie,
I am at Vermont College of Norwich Univ. in Montpelier Vt. I find it to be
an excellent program and of course because I live in Vermont, its
convenient, there are other good programs such as George Washington U. and
Leslie College, and Henneman in Penn. but Vermont College is considered one
of the best. tele to call for the brochure is 802-828-8810. she can e-mail
me anytime for info also.

carolyn

Christopher Greenman on sat 22 jan 00

Merrie,

A good place to start looking is at the University of Louisville, which also
has a good ceramic department.
By the way I not sure I can make it to the Groundhog firing...... hope you
scare the shadows(groundhog) away.

Happy firing.

Chris

NakedClay@aol.com on sat 22 jan 00

Hi Merrie!

There are several excellent Art Therapy schools, in both the United States
and Canada. You can request a list from the American Art Therapy Association,
in Mundelin, Illinois. This organization is the one which approves curriculum
in registered Art Therapy programs. It also issues successful graduates the
"ATR" in an Art Therapist's title, upon graduation. ("ATR" stands for Art
Therapist, Registered).

I want to offer a word of caution, though. I completed three of four years
worth of study in this field. When I began my studies in 1994, there was a
big demand for ATR's, particularly male ATR's. Unfortunately, the demand
fizzled for all art therapists the next year--insurance companies were no
longer paying for the services of art therapist or other healers who did not
also possess a Ph.D. or MA in Family Therapy. In other words, those with an
ATR have a piece of expensive paper (the diploma) to hang on a wall somewhere!

So, if your daughter is thinking of a career in Art Therapy, I suggest that
she also pursue a degree in Family & Individual Counseling. There are two
schools, both here in California, which offer a degree in Art Therapy & MFT
Counseling. Other wise, she'll be quite disappointed (like some of us who
were not forewarned), since the field is rather limited--I know some ATR's
who hold a "day job," and volunteer at a children's home, for instance.

I dropped out, rather than shelling out another $12,000 for tuition. I can
say I learned quite a bit about myself, and how my art expresses my mental
process, in the three years I studied Art Therapy.

Best wishes to you and your daughter!

Milton NakedClay@AOL.COM

Toni Yoder-LeBlanc on sun 23 jan 00

My mother recieve her Expressive Arts Therapy degree from Leslie in
Cambridge. At the time that she was there it was one of the leading programs
in the country. Shawn McNeef was on faculty there and he has written several
of the text. And as to Vermont I only wish I were there. It is a great
place and yes she recieved her undergraduate degree from Vermont College.