Art Therapy - Teaching Psychology

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CHAPTER 7

Te c h n i q u e (s)

The only technique of art therapy is the technique of relating to a patient through art.

Hanna Kwiatkowska

We experience it [a dream] predominantly in visual images; feelings may be present too,

and thoughts interwoven in it as well; the other senses may also experience something,

but nonetheless it is predominantly a question of images. Part of the difficulty of giving

an account of dreams is due to our having to translate these images into words. “I could

draw it,” a dreamer often says to us, “but I don’t know how to say it.”

Sigmund Freud, quoted by Margaret Naumburg

Introduction

As Margaret Naumburg often pointed out, “Although Freud made the modern world aware
that the unconscious speaks in images, he did not follow the suggestion of his patients that
they be permitted to draw their dreams rather than to tell them. Art therapy, however,
encourages just such an expression of inner experience” (1966, p. 2). This was the basis for
Naumburg’s conception of Dynamic Art Therapy; that is, promoting the release of spontane-
ous imagery. But it is not the only way to proceed.
In fact, one of the most pleasurable aspects of art therapy is the creative challenge of
deciding what to do and how to do it. As you have seen, there are many different ways of
using art to achieve some kind of understanding in assessment. Similarly, there are many
different ways of using art as a therapeutic modality. The specific approach chosen depends
upon the goals of the particular intervention, the context in which it occurs, and the range
of what is possible. Art is used in, as, and for therapy in a variety of ways.
Regardless of what is done, there is a series of necessary steps noted earlier. They begin
with setting the stage, a major element in promoting expression in art therapy. A well-pre-
pared environment can inspire creativity, whereas a confusing or uncomfortable one can
have a most inhibiting effect. Introducing the task, whether free or specified, is also critical,
since instructions need to be both clear and inviting. This is all part of the art therapist’s