Silence during art therapy: The art therapist’s perspective

ABSTRACT

This study examines the perceptions and experiences of Israeli art therapists regarding the use of silence during art therapy, and its effects on the art therapist, the client and the therapeutic relationship. The researchers interviewed 15 art therapists using the Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) analysis method (Hill, C. E. [2012]. Consensual qualitative research: A practical resource for investigating social science phenomena. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association). The interview covered five primary domains: (1) silence as an art therapy tool—the art therapist’s depiction of a therapist who uses silence in therapy; (2) reasons for using silence in art therapy—the rationale for using silence as an intervention tool and the therapist’s perceptions regarding the client’s use of silence; (3) the art therapist’s perceptions of the effects of silence on the client, the therapeutic relationship and the therapeutic dialogue; (4) the role of the art therapist during moments of silence in the therapy room; and (5) the art therapist’s perception of the uniqueness of the art medium during moments of silence in therapy. These findings can lead to a greater understanding of the importance and contribution of silence in art therapy.

KEYWORDS:

• Silence
• art materials
• art therapists
• Consensual Qualitative Research
• art therapy

Notes on contributors

Dafna Regev is the Head of Art Therapy Program in the Graduate School of Creative Art Therapies and member in the Emili Sagol Creative Arts Therapies Research Center in the University of Haifa, Israel. She specialised in parent-child art psychotherapy and working in private clinics. Email: [email protected]

Hadass Kurt is an art therapist, graduated at 2014 in the University of Haifa. She specialises in art therapy with children and works primarily in public sphere.

Sharon Snir is an art therapist and a senior lecturer in the Department of Education and in the Department of Drama therapy in Tel Hai College, Israel, and a teaching fellow in the Art Therapy Program in the Graduate School of Creative Art Therapies in the University of Haifa, Israel.