Strengthening the Therapeutic Bond through Therapist Art Making with Clients

ABSTRACT

Art therapy research supports the benefits of creative expression for well-being. Counseling literature highlights the necessity of therapist well-being. Art therapists often have art practices that contribute to their personal growth and support their authenticity as artist-practitioners. There is uncertainty, however, surrounding the appropriateness of art therapists making art alongside clients during clinical work. Humanistic art therapists view art therapy as a shared creative journey utilizing therapist presence, authenticity, empathy, and unconditional acceptance to guide the client toward self-realization. This author explores, from a humanistic art therapy perspective, in-session therapist art making as a shared creative process that deepens the client-therapist relationship and promotes the well-being of client and therapist. Future research is required to specifically address the importance of art therapist well-being, the development of client and therapist well-being through joint or parallel creative processes, and clients’ perceptions of therapist in-session art practices, specifically from multi-cultural perspectives.

KEYWORDS:

• Art therapy
• humanistic art therapy
• well-being
• therapist art
• clinical art
• response art
• joint processes
• parallel processes
• creativity in counseling