154 • Introduction to Art Therapy
While working at a child guidance center, I tried out a variety of drawing books with chil-
dren, including one on reality testing (“Make-Believe Drawing Book”), one on self-concept
(“My Book About Me”), and a “Hospital Drawing Book” for children in a medical hospital
( F i g u r e 7. 5). My young subjects’ responses were uniformly positive, confirming the need
for such tools. In 2002 the American Psychological Association published one I designed
for children whose parents are separated or divorced, My Mom and Dad Don’t Live Together
Anymore (7) (Rubin, 2002). I suppose it is meeting a need, since I was recently told that it
had been translated into Italian and has sold well in Italy.
Closely related to drawing workbooks are books that encourage readers to explore their
own creativity, some of which have been created by artists like Julia Cameron, whose The
Artist’s Way (2002) has a parallel workbook (Cameron, 2007). Janie Rhyne (1995), an art
therapist who began her work in the human potential movement, devoted a large part of her
book to helping readers gain access to their own creativity. On the DVD (H), you can see
Rhyne inviting members of a workshop group to get in touch with theirs by working with
clay with their eyes closed, in order to stimulate both relaxation and imagery.
Art therapists have also contributed to this literature, and are now including more exer-
cises in their own books, with directions to the reader for ways of implementing their sug-
gestions (Allen, 1995, 2005; Fincher, 1991; Malchiodi, 1998, 2002; B. Moon, 2006).
Deciding What to Do and Why
There are a number of books by art therapists for those who want ideas about what to do,
primarily with groups, though many can be used with individuals as well. Most cover a wide
range of materials and processes and are organized according to such categories as goals,
media, or themes (Buchalter, 2004; Campbell, 1993; Liebmann, 2004; Makin, 1999). Some
are based on, and especially applicable to, particular settings, such as schools (Ross, 1997)
or hospitals (Darley & Heath, 2008).
Being inventive, art therapists have come up with a great variety of intriguing and idio-
syncratic ways of working. There is usually some kind of systematic deliberation behind
Figure 7.5 A child drawing in the hospital.