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ABSTRACT
In this article, a variety of what the author refers to as creative artists support groups are described. The descriptions illustrate a great deal of divergence in terms of structure and range of group leadership or facilitation, ranging from virtually leaderless groups modeled along the lines of the structure of 12-step support groups, to groups led by a trained psychotherapist who directs the group with a series of structured therapeutic techniques, to a Rogerian person-centered facilitator who gently guides the group with little or no structure whatsoever. Furthermore, person-centered group facilitators of creative artists support groups may adhere to the basic ingredients of Rogerian person-centered individual psychotherapy by relating to the essence of the person but may do so in a flexible way that allows for occasional active interventions inclusive of the facilitator sharing his or her relevant personal feelings. Utilizing autoethnographic research, inclusive of a description of the author’s motivation in writing this article, illustrations are given of some therapeutic interactions from the author’s own creative artists support group to demonstrate this kind of flexibility in the facilitation of a person-centered creative artists support group. It is concluded that a common foundational ingredient in all the creative artists support groups described in this article is the dual focus on creativity and mental health.
Le groupe de soutien d’artistes créatifs: un environnement thérapeutique pour promouvoir la créativité et la santé mentale via la facilitation centrée sur la personne
Cet article présente un éventail de ce que l’auteur considère comme étant des groupes d’artistes créatifs. Les descriptions illustrent de nombreuses différences en termes de structure et de type de leadership de groupe: depuis des groupes pour ainsi dire sans leader selon le modèle des groupes de soutien structurés en 12 étapes, aux groupes conduits par un psychothérapeute directif formé avec des techniques thérapeutiques structurées, jusqu’aux groupes menés par un facilitateur rogérien centré sur la personne guidant délicatement le groupe avec peu ou quasi pas de structure. Dans les groupes de soutien d’artistes créatifs, les facilitateurs de groupe centrés sur la personne peuvent adhérer aux principes de base de la psychothérapie individuelle rogérienne centrée sur la personne en tenant compte de l’essence de la personne, mais ils le font d’une manière flexible permettant occasionnellement certaines interventions actives. Utilisant une recherche auto-ethnographique, l’auteur illustre son propos avec quelques interactions thérapeutiques issues de son propre groupe d’artistes créatifs pour démontrer ce type de flexibilité dans la facilitation d’un tel groupe. Il est conclu qu’une des composantes fondamentales présentes dans tous les groupes d’artistes créatifs décrits dans cet article repose dans la double perspective de la créativité et de la santé mentale.
Die Begleitgruppe Kunstschaffender: ein therapeutisches Umfeld, um Kreativität und psychische Gesundheit mit Hilfe des Personzentrierten Ansatzes zu fördern
Der Autor stellt eine ganze Reihe von Begleitgruppen Kunstschaffender vor, wie er diese Gruppen nennt. Die Beschreibungen illustrieren eine große Spannweite an Unterschieden, was die Struktur und das Ausmaß an Leitung oder fördernden Impulsen in einer solchen Gruppe angeht. Da gibt es praktisch führungslose Gruppen nach dem Modell der Leitlinien von 12-Schritte-Begleitgruppen, weiter über Gruppen, die von einer ausgebildeten psychotherapeutischen Fachperson geleitet werden, welche die Gruppe mit strukturierten therapeutischen Techniken führt bis hin zu einem Rogerianischen Personzentrierten Facilitator, der die Gruppe auf sanfte Weise wenig oder gar nicht strukturiert. Darüber hinaus gibt es Personzentrierte Gruppen-Facilitators von Begleitgruppen Kunstschaffender, die sich an die grundlegenden Zutaten einer Einzeltherapie nach Rogers’ Personzentrierter Psychotherapie halten, was bedeutet, dass sie sich an das Wesen der Person wenden, aber diese tun das vielleicht auf eine flexible Art und gestatten sich gelegentlich aktive Interventionen. Auto-ethnographische Forschung illustriert einige therapeutische Interaktionen aus der Begleitgruppe des Autors, um diese Art der Flexibilität bei der Förderung einer solchen Gruppe zu demonstrieren. Das Fazit: Ein gemeinsamer begründender Faktor in all diesen Begleitgruppen ist der doppelte Focus, der sowohl auf der Kreativität als auch auf der psychischen Gesundheit liegt.
El grupo de apoyo de artistas creativos: Un ambiente terapéutico para promover la creatividad y salud mental a través de la facilitación centrada en la persona
En este artículo, se describen una gran variedad de lo que el autor refiere como grupos creativos de apoyo. Las descripciones ilustran una gran divergencia en cuanto a estructura y rango de liderazgo de grupo o de facilitación, de grupos virtualmente acéfalos, siguiendo las líneas de la estructura de 12 pasos de grupos de ayuda, a grupos dirigidos por psicoterapeutas entrenados que dirigen al grupo con técnicas terapéuticas estructuradas, a un facilitador Rogeriano centrado en la persona suavemente guiando al grupo con poca o ninguna estructura alguna. Mas aun, los facilitadores de grupos centrados en la persona, de grupos de apoyo a grupos creativos pueden adherirse a los ingredientes básicos de la psicoterapia Rogeriana individual centrada en la persona al relacionarse con la esencia de la persona, pero pueden hacerlo de manera flexible que permita intervenciones activas ocasionales. Utilizando la investigación auto etnográfica, se dan ilustraciones de algunas interacciones terapéuticas desde el grupo de apoyo del autor de artistas creativos para demostrar este tipo de flexibilidad en la facilitación de tal grupo. Se llegó a la conclusión de que un ingrediente fundacional común en todos grupos de apoyo de artistas descriptos en este artículo es el enfoque doble en la creatividad y salud mental.
Grupo de apoio para artistas criativos: um ambiente terapêutico promotor da criatividade e saúde mental através da facilitação centrada na pessoa
Neste artigo são descritos diversos grupos aos quais o autor se refere como grupos de apoio para artistas criativos. As descrições ilustram uma grande divergência em termos de estrutura e abrangência da facilitação ou liderança dos grupos, indo desde grupos virtualmente desprovidos de liderança e modelados à imagem da estrutura dos grupos de apoio em doze passos, a grupos com técnicas terapêuticas estruturadas e a um facilitador centrado na Pessoa Rogeriano que lidera o grupo calmamente, com pouca ou nenhuma estrutura. Para além disso, os facilitadores centrados na pessoa de grupos de apoio para artistas criativos podem aderir aos ingredientes básicos da psicoterapia individual centrada na pessoa Rogeriana, ao entrarem em relação com a essência da pessoa, mas podem fazê-lo de forma flexível, permitindo intervenções ativas ocasionais. Através da utilização de uma pesquisa auto-etnográfica, ilustram-se algumas interações terapêuticas no grupo de apoio a artistas criativos do autor, de forma a demonstrar este tipo de flexibilidade na facilitação deste género de grupos. Conclui-se que um ingrediente fundamental comum a todos os grupos de apoio a artistas criativos descrito neste artigo é o foco dual na criatividade e na saúde mental.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes
1. This current article is a revised version of my previous article with the same beginning title (cf. Benjamin, Citation2017). Along with various revisions, my previous article includes more extensive verbatim accounts of creative artists support groups, and this current article includes more discussion about the theory behind person-centered facilitation of creative artists support groups, as well as the benefits and potential conflicts in the dual role of facilitator and participant.
2. See the next to last section of this article for a description of the current extension of Rogers’ person-centered therapeutic approach, as conveyed at the 2016 WAPCEPC conference,Footnote5 which allows for more flexibility and occasional direction, while retaining the essence of Rogers’ empathy, authenticity and non-judgmental nurturing.
3. Although I do not have conflicts about being a group facilitator for my creative artists support groups, I have experienced a personal conflict in my dual role as participant and facilitator, which I describe in the next section.
4. For more information about my own creative artist background experiences, see the personal descriptions of my creative artistic lifelong passions in Benjamin (Citation2013, p. 5). The conference referred to is the July 2016 World Association of Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy and Counseling (WAPCEPC) conference; see www.pce-world.org.
5. The conference referred to is the July 2016 World Association of Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy and Counseling (WAPCEPC) conference; see www.pce-world.org.
6. See Ellis (Citation2007) and Benjamin (Citation2008, Citation2013, Citation2014b, Citation2015b).
7. The names given for the participants in my creative artists support group are the pseudonyms used in Benjamin (Citation2014a, Citation2015a).
8. See the next section for excerpts from Rogers (Citation1973) that illustrates how Rogers regularly used relevant self-disclosure in his facilitation of encounter groups.
9. See illustrative accounts of my son Jeremy’s quest to become a successful actor and writer in Benjamin (Citation2013, Citation2014c).
10. The keynote address given in honor of Gendlin also included a live (remote) conversation with him, which occurred a few months before his death.
11. Jobst Finke has published a number of books in German. See the highlighted speakers section in http://www,nypcrc.org/speakers for a description of Finke and a listing of some of his books.
12. See Abraham Maslow’s formulation of self-actualization in Maslow (Citation1962).
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Elliot Benjamin
Elliot Benjamin has a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Maine and a Ph.D. in psychology from Saybrook University with a concentration in consciousness and spirituality. Elliot is currently a psychology mentor/Ph.D committee chair at Capella University (www.capella.edu) and was previously a mathematics professor for 21 years. He has published 4 books and over 150 articles in the fields of humanistic and transpersonal psychology; philosophy/spirituality and awareness of cult dangers; parapsychology; the creative artist, mental disturbance and mental health; progressive politics; pure mathematics; and mathematics enrichment. His books Life after Death: An Experiential Exploration with Mediums by an Agnostic Investigator, Modern Religions: An Experiential Analysis and Exposé, and The Creative Artist, Mental Disturbance, and Mental Health are currently available at www.amazon.com and www.lulu.com, and his book Numbera: Recreational Number Theory in the School System is available at http://ebooks.benthamscience.com/book/9781681085128. Elliot lives in Maine and enjoys playing the piano, tennis and ballroom dancing and has an author’s website that can be viewed at www.benjamin-philosopher.com.