Expressive Therapies Summit

ROOM 705

Artmaking incorporates the interrelationship between the artist and media, the fabrication and deconstruction of images, and a “reveal” that stimulates a descriptive narrative. Whether client or therapist, the construction of personal art forms is inherently mobilizing psychologically: the bisociative process of artmaking prompts a temporary state of disequilibrium between thought and emotion that is self-consistent yet incompatible. Further, the “resolution” of the creative act generates personal growth. Participants in this Master Class will explore key concepts surrounding the therapeutic role of creative destruction and the reparation of images that fosters fertile ground for self-repair. Participants will discover how this phenomenon affects one's transformative journey, which will be amplified through artmaking and group discussion. Case material from various client populations will illustrate ways to incorporate this approach into clinical practice. 

NOTE: Please bring a meaningful personal object to deconstruct and a book to alter for this workshop, as well as trinkets and ephemera that you would like to use throughout the artmaking day. An email with further details will be sent prior to the Summit.