On Becoming a Mindful Art Therapist
In On Becoming a Person, Carl Rogers (1995) notes that “the degree to which I can create relationships, which facilitate the growth of others as separate persons, is a measure of the growth I have achieved in myself” (p.56). Most therapists will be familiar with Roger’s person-centered therapy (1980) which espouses the core skills of empathy (understanding the world from the client’s view), unconditional positive regard (acceptance), and genuineness (authenticity and sharing feelings). More than just skills, these comprise an interpersonal process for the therapeutic relationship, whereby clients who feel heard and validated, without fear of reprisal, also feel accepted and valued by the therapist. Feeling valued fosters self-empathy and brings self-compassion to bear on one’s experience and capacity for problem-solving. Clients consequently grow through the process.
Rogers (1960), in A Way of Being, also suggests that this non-directive style of therapy is more about learning to “be with” a client, rather than needing to “do therapy.” Relational empathy shares in the mindful attitude of being present and witnessing another human’s suffering with openness and acceptance. This results in psychological safety. In the absence of needing to defend experience, clients often gain a greater sense of their own humanness, and begin to develop self-compassion. The calming effects of feeling accepted not only serve to slow mind chatter, but also offers psychological safety. Regardless of whether a client’s problem stems from difficult relationships or life events, the forgiveness of self and of others is an area that people struggle with if they stay caught up in the story. In the presence of a mindful therapist, clients can stop beating themselves or others up, or stop focusing on things like blame or victimization. Instead, they can turn gently or courageously toward the deeper meaning of life’s challenges without feeling judged. But, you might be wondering at this stage, what’s art got to do with it?
The empathic resonance between therapist and client borrows from humanist perspectives that affirm one’s capacity to progress adaptively in life through valued living. Relational empathy enables a therapist to remain objective and image-centered, rather than self-centered in the therapeutic dialogue (Buie, 1981). Empathic awareness also helps therapists untangle the emotional charge of a client’s artwork (Franklin, 1990). In the broader realm, where value is placed on the client and his or her world, relational empathy serves both the way we engage with clients, as well as with their art.
Developing a mindful art-therapy practice
Developing a mindful art-therapy practice is less about the choice of mindfulness techniques or creative art forms you introduce, and more about cultivating a practice that resonates personally and professionally. There is no “one size fits all” (NIMH, 2014), nor will one style of therapy suit all clients. Although it is wise to have a loose plan, a theoretical basis, or starting point for therapy, one never knows what a client’s needs will be on the very day.
If you are keen to introduce mindful art therapy into your practice, it is wise to cultivate mindfulness skills and art-based endeavors. Secular mindfulness methods can vary according to the practitioner, therapeutic approach, or the sensibilities of a client. Depending on how well versed you are already, this might require you to familiarize yourself with meditative and cognitive attentional mindfulness practices which you can then combine with creative art tasks.
When I introduced mindfulness skills to a couple recently, one partner remarked of the other: “She’s too much like a hummingbird.” Understanding clients in terms of their nature and readiness to engage with sensitive material is important if you want to introduce skillful therapy. As Malchiodi (2003/5) notes, therapists need to discern how methods might facilitate or distance a person in accordance with their readiness. If clients are hesitant about the method, it is important to explore why or whether mindful art therapy is a good fit.
One of the most important aspects of therapy I have found is to engage the sensibilities of my clients. Some may enjoy the quietude of meditation, while others may prefer using only cognitive attentional strategies to dialogue with the art.
Being attuned to a person’s creative interests or abilities can also help to tailor the focus of guided meditations or art tasks. For example, when Sophia asked if she could read a poem entitled The Door (Holub, 2007), I was able to follow up with a guided meditation to assist her imaginatively in finding the courage to move through the door, and explore the unfinished business she had come to discuss. This is not to suggest that all guided meditations need be tailored to the individual, for whether you are listening to a John Kabat-Zinn meditation or develop one spontaneously, the idea is to guide clients to a space of relaxed and open awareness, within imaginative metaphors, where they can witness and explore inner mental life through it.
Clients come from a range of backgrounds and interests, so I typically ask about their hobbies and interests on the client intake form. This information can guide creative activities in ways that make sense to your client, and that they can relate to more easily. In addition to drawing tasks, I have found it useful to engage clients mindfully with compelling photographs, collage, drama or poetry that they find meaningful. When creative tasks resonate personally with clients, they are often keen to explore emotions through them. For example, when we drew on Ed’s love of photography to explore the “extraordinary in the ordinary” of compelling images, it brought him closer in emotionally. Familiar and favored techniques that engage a client’s sensibilities not only enhance therapeutic gains, but are also easily transferrable for use outside of therapy.
Often, if clients feel stuck or don’t know what to draw, I suggest they may like to sketch the same image three times, and color each one differently (Fausek, 1997). More often than not, the first image will be realistic, the second a bit more uncharacteristic from the norm, and the third tends to show the beginnings of becoming more experimental. Even without an obvious motive to resolve anything, this activity marks a shift in emotional involvement with the original task, and encourages psychological flexibility. For example, in exploring new ways of looking at something or learning to tolerate ambiguity (Rogers, 1961).