Art therapy is a relatively new field in therapeutic counseling. It is defined as an expressive therapy “through which we many draw on inner feelings and the unconscious to produce a tangible product…that allows clients to explore their deepest and often hidden feelings, and to use symbols to represent their inner feelings and conflicts” (Degges-White, p. 1). While there are a number of theoretical approaches, this paper focuses on Adlerian art therapy, which incorporates a framework based off Alfred Alder’s Individual Psychology. Through the examination of research journals and academic textbooks, the following paper will discuss Alfred Adler, his development of Individual Psychology, and the emergence of Adlerian art therapy, including
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To clarify, Adler’s definition of social interest is:
An all-encompassing feeling towards others…the self…and the community of humankind. When action and progress benefit humankind, they are socially useful. Establishing a sense of belonging through social interest thus is an important part of human development” (Sutherland, Waldman and Collins, p. 69).
In this definition, social interest is not just applied to the individual’s level of approachability in a communal setting; it involves having a purposeful and fulfilling connection to the people around you. Having this connection helps to maintain positive mental health.
In addition to abstaining from physical and emotional isolation, the concept of lifestyle or an individual’s regular pattern when approaching life situations is an integral part of Adler’s ideology. Like Freud, Adler believed that lifestyles developed during the first 6 years of one’s life, however, he did not attribute these changes to psychosexual stages. Instead, the environment in which the child grows up in determines their style of gathering information and applying to everyday …show more content…
According to Graham and Pehrsson, “the use of art therapy within individual psychology consists of four phases consistent with the stand-alone goals of individual psychology (relationship development, assessment and exploration of lifestyle, goals of behavior, faulty thinking, and maladaptive behaviors; facilitation of individual insight; and orientation and reeducation) (p. 11). Art interventions integrated within counseling sessions, provides individuals with empowerment, catharsis, self-discovery and awareness of the motivations behind behaviors of self and others; the ending result is growth. In addition, participants are able to maintain their uniqueness and improve upon their verbalization of emotions to
To clarify, Adler’s definition of social interest is:
An all-encompassing feeling towards others…the self…and the community of humankind. When action and progress benefit humankind, they are socially useful. Establishing a sense of belonging through social interest thus is an important part of human development” (Sutherland, Waldman and Collins, p. 69).
In this definition, social interest is not just applied to the individual’s level of approachability in a communal setting; it involves having a purposeful and fulfilling connection to the people around you. Having this connection helps to maintain positive mental health.
In addition to abstaining from physical and emotional isolation, the concept of lifestyle or an individual’s regular pattern when approaching life situations is an integral part of Adler’s ideology. Like Freud, Adler believed that lifestyles developed during the first 6 years of one’s life, however, he did not attribute these changes to psychosexual stages. Instead, the environment in which the child grows up in determines their style of gathering information and applying to everyday …show more content…
According to Graham and Pehrsson, “the use of art therapy within individual psychology consists of four phases consistent with the stand-alone goals of individual psychology (relationship development, assessment and exploration of lifestyle, goals of behavior, faulty thinking, and maladaptive behaviors; facilitation of individual insight; and orientation and reeducation) (p. 11). Art interventions integrated within counseling sessions, provides individuals with empowerment, catharsis, self-discovery and awareness of the motivations behind behaviors of self and others; the ending result is growth. In addition, participants are able to maintain their uniqueness and improve upon their verbalization of emotions to