This issue presents five articles, each of a very different nature. Shirley Sharon-Zisser outlines a Lacanian theory of Art Therapy; Jamie Bird describes how an art therapy perspective can help people who have experienced domestic violence; Gary Nash describes Art Therapy in private practice; and Alex McDonald and Nicholas StJ Drey provide a much needed review of Art Therapy work with primary school children. Sian Stott is the winner of the IJAT:Inscape New Practitioners’ Essay Prize. She describes some phenomena associated with the process of copying within the Art Therapy clinical context.
Lacanian theory may be more familiar to UK art therapists from their experience of the ‘Art World’ rather than Art Therapy. My first memory of Lacan was in the context of postmodern art theory, before I became an art therapist. I remember it as exciting, challenging – and confusing. It is sometimes perceived as dense/impenetrable/opaque but Sharon-Zisser attempts to clarify what she believes can be a Lacanian theory of Art Therapy and thus expresses a set of ideas on how the psychodynamics of Art Therapy may be enriched by Lacan's work.
Jamie Bird writes about investigating people’s experience of domestic violence through the use of art. He describes how an art therapist's perspective can productively offer a particular point of view and way of working – even when the art therapist is not delivering Art Therapy. I think that this is relevant to many situations in which art therapists find themselves – for example, when working in a multidisciplinary team, as part of a research project or offering consultation to others.
Gary Nash describes how evaluation methods might be used in private practice. He describes two art-based evaluation methods: the ‘retrospective review’ and the ‘reflect interview and audio image recording’. The ways in which these may be used in this context are discussed. I think it is important to publish writing that highlights some of the similarities and differences between private practice and Art Therapy within large institutions. I hope this article prompts an ongoing constructive debate on the subject.
Alex McDonald and Nicholas StJ Drey contribute a review of the literature on Art Therapy with children of primary school age. The mental health of young people is a serious cause for concern, and a thorough review such as this is a welcome contribution to the development of Art Therapy services that optimally meet the needs of young people. The importance of art therapists in this field auditing their work and understanding suitable outcome measures is also stressed. I believe this does not only apply to Art Therapy with children; it applies to Art Therapy more widely.
The article by Sian Stott is the winner of the IJAT:Inscape New Practitioners’ Essay Prize. She describes the situation of client and therapist copying an image – in this case, an illustration in a book. She discusses the possible psychological phenomena that may be at play in this situation. As well as echoing early child development, it also reminded me of how important copying was in my own art education – especially at school. I wonder if the psychological and artistic power of copying in Art Therapy has been historically rather overshadowed by the ideas related to free association and unfettered spontaneous self-expression.
My tenure as the editor of IJAT:Inscape has now come to an end. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to perform this role over the last three years. I am pleased to announce that Susan Carr, Alex McDonald and Neil Springham will be acting as joint editors in the interim period before the new editor is appointed through the interview process.