What is Expressive Arts Counseling and what are the benefits to the client?

Expressive arts counseling is the use of visual art, writing, poetry, dance, puppetry, music and theatre to provide for growth and healing. Central to expressive arts counseling is the belief that the process of making art is as important as the content it expresses. The counselor guides the client, transfering into an art form, difficult feelings and thoughts. It promotes the integration of physical, emotional, cognitive and social functioning, enhances self-awareness, and facilitates change.

The art-making allows for diffusion of the power and intensity of what are sometimes overwhelming and disturbing thoughts and feelings. Creating art that represents those thoughts and feelings produces a degree of reflective distance that allows for a different way of seeing the experience represented. Using art to facilitate discussions can break down barriers to communication that can arise in more typical talk therapies. Allowing the client to talk about the art rather than the self can free them to find new ways to address problems. The art-making in and of itself can be cathartic.

Who is Expressive Arts Counseling for?

Anyone can benefit from expressive arts counseling. All sessions are designed to meet client’s specific needs. There are no requirements for artistic ability or training. Clients are guided to let go of pre-conceived ideas about art-making to find their own innate creativity. The expressive arts counseling process begins with addressing self criticism that may exist around creativity.

What happens in a session?

We begin by using simple art materials and processes. For example, (depending on the needs of the client) it may be journaling using art or poetry. A dialogue begins between counselor and client with art as the mode. The counselor does not direct the art-making, but rather asks questions, is curious about the world as the client sees it. This is very important, especially with teenagers, since they are naturally suspicious of adult requests. For example, a teen in conflict with parents may be asked to draw 2 pictures – one that represents how his parents punish him when he breaks the rules, and another that represents how he punishes his parents when he’s angry at them. A dialogue emerges as the counselor asks questions about the images. As sessions continue, other forms of art will be available for the client to use. The client may write a story or lyrics to a song, create a dance or a skit, or a painting – all ways to express and release thoughts and feelings.

It is important to note that it is often beneficial to bring others into the art sessions. Parents, friends and other important people in the client’s life may be invited. By working together in a creative, non-threatening environment, perspectives change and relationships build through art-making. These important people may also be asked to come to sessions to witness the art-making. For example, a client may choose to have her parents at a session to hear her read a poem she wrote, or to see the dance she created. During these sessions, the counselor is guiding parents in how to follow their child’s lead, to understand the situation from the child’s point of view, which is imperative to success in rebuilding relationships.

How long are sessions?

Individual sessions are about 1 ½ hours long. Group sessions are generally 2 hours long. Because we work with art materials, sessions need to be longer. This allows for enough time to “get into” the art-making.

How much does it cost?

The first session is free. This session is one hour long and will introduce the client to the process, and to determine if it is a good fit for them. For a 1 ½ hour session, the fee is $85 and includes all materials. Group sessions that are 2 hours long are $50 for each participant and includes all materials. Groups are limited to 5 people.

What are the goals and what does the overall plan look like?

The plan for a client develops over the first few weeks as the counselor develops a relationship with the client. Communication with the client’s caseworker and others on the team is important. The goals of the plan will:

• assist in attaining quality of life appropriate for each individual.
• delineate frequency, and duration of involvement in counseling.
• contain goals that reflect the client’s current strengths and needs.

• provide for timely review, modification, and revision.
 This plan is formulated with the client’s input, understanding and permission (age appropriate).

Are you available for staffings and family meetings?

I will be available to attend meetings as long as it does not conflict with other already scheduled meetings or sessions. It is also important that the client and, when appropriate, his or her family be at the meeting. If I am not able to attend, I will provide a written, brief summary of progress for the team to review, and will be available by phone when possible.

What are the advantages for using expressive arts counseling with adolescents?

One of the most creative times in our lives is during our adolecent years. Difficult emotions are often expressed through music, cartoons, poetry, graffitti, creative hair and dress styles and tatoos. Teens may struggle with how to talk about feelings to adults and peers, and fear the response if they do. As a result, they pull back and withhold their thoughts and feelings. Expressing through art can be the door to communication and self-discovery.

Group work with Adolescents

In groups of 3 to 5, with a counselor and an adult assistant, teens work alongside their influential peers to move through difficult emotions, communicating and responding through art. Prior to attending group sessions, clients must attend at least one individual session to determine appropriateness for group. Information from parents, guardians and case workers will also assist in this decision.

We begin with methods that provide a safe way to express. For example, we may ask the group to describe, on paper using markers, what happens in a day in the life of a teenager in Colorado Springs. With the counselor coming from an inquisitive, “you know more than I do, please teach me” point of view will help them know that we understand they are the experts when it comes to what’s important in their lives. Their responses will be their own stories, and reveal their family, economical and social culture.

By describing what they have drawn to the group provides the teen ways to communicate what was impossible to do with words. Sharing with the group helps develop empathy and understanding, thereby improving relationships. The art-making and sharing process also helps teens discover they are not alone in their situations. Knowing this becomes helpful in relieving anxiety and stress, and allows for expressing grief and loss. All these feelings are often expressed by teens as anger. Not only are the teens developing new coping skills by using art to express, but are developing self-esteem and improving communication skills.