Art Therapy and Flow: A Review of the Literature and Applications

Abstract

Flow is a construct developed by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi that describes a psychological state of optimal attention and engagement. Creativity and improved well-being have been empirically linked to the flow experience; therefore, the study of flow has implications for art therapy research and practice. Art therapists may facilitate personal growth by helping individuals enter and maintain a state of flow in their art making. This article reviews the literature on the characteristics of the flow experience and its neurological functions and suggests applications to art therapy theory and practice.

Acknowledgments

Editor's Note: Gioia Chilton, MA, ATR-BC, is a doctoral candidate in the Creative Arts Therapies Program at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, and an adjunct instructor at The George Washington University in the Washington, DC area.