reading list 02
Art therapy is a mental health profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.
The American Art Therapy Association (AATA)
Art therapy is an established form of psychotherapy, delivered by trained art therapists (also known as art psychotherapists).
Art therapy uses art as the primary mode of expression, alongside talking with an art therapist. It aims to reduce distress and improve social, emotional, or mental health by promoting insight, self-compassion and a sense of agency and self-worth.
During art therapy, you are supported by an art therapist to use art to express and articulate often complex thoughts and feelings through art making. This may be following difficult or traumatic experiences which may be hard to talk about.
Who is art therapy suitable for?
Art therapy can help people of all ages and at all stages of life, including those whose life has been affected by difficult personal or cultural experiences, illness and/or disability. You do not need to be skilled in art to benefit from art therapy.
Art therapy is suitable for anyone who is willing to use art to express their feelings. It can be especially helpful for those looking for a creative way to move forward when they feel stuck in life. It can help people reflect on long standing dynamics, issues from the past or simply find a different way to understand yourself and others.
The British Association of Art Therapists (‘BAAT’)
https://baat.org/art-therapy/what-is-art-therapy/
Definition of Self-Compassion:
Self-kindness
Common humanity
Mindfulness
Video
How Photography Saved My Life | Bryce Evans | TEDxSFU
Taking a photo each day and posting it online has complex benefits say researchers who say it supports improved wellbeing.
They found that taking a daily photo improved wellbeing through:
- Self-care
- Community interaction
- The potential for reminiscence
Taking a moment to be mindful, and looking for something different or unusual in the day were seen as positive well-being benefits of the practice.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180430131759.htm
The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804629/
Creative burnout: when the creativity tap runs dry
Overcoming Burnout through Arts
Mental Health for Creatives
https://withtherapy.com/mental-health-resources/mental-health-for-creatives/
Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:
- feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
- increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and
- reduced professional efficacy.
Burn-out refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.
Burnout phenomenon: neurophysiological factors, clinical features, and aspects of management
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9478693/#bibr12-03000605221106428
How to recover from burnout and love your life again
https://www.betterup.com/blog/how-to-recover-from-burnout
Burnout and Your Inner Critic
3 Reasons Your Inner Critic Doesn’t Want to Leave Your Mind
https://www.bigselfschool.com/post/3-reasons-your-inner-critic-persists
Living With Your Inner Critic
8 Helpful Worksheets and Activities
Anna Katharina Schaffner | PositivePsychology
https://www.the-exhaustion-coach.com/post/living-with-your-inner-critic
Creative burnout. Time to take a break?
https://www.moo.com/blog/uk/business-tips/creative-burnout
A Novel Mindful-Compassion Art-Based Therapy for Reducing Burnout and Promoting Resilience Among Healthcare Workers: Findings From a Waitlist Randomized Control Trial
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.744443/full
Self-Compassion is Productive
https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/student-careers/stories/self-compassion-is-productive
Self-Compassion Explains Less Burnout Among Healthcare Professionals
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-020-01469-5
****Burnout and How Self-Care and Self-Compassion Can Help
https://encompass.eku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1023&context=psych_doctorals
*Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey: Factorial validity and invariance among Romanian healthcare professionals
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213058614000436