Art Therapy for Gender-Variant Individuals: A Compassion-Oriented Approach

Abstract:

This article addresses the issue of how to create a supportive therapeutic environment for gender-variant clients. Individuals who experience their true gender identity as incongruent with their birth sex experience the social ramifications of nonconformity which often result in psychological distress characterized by self-criticism and shame. Best practice approaches advocate for therapists’ developing attitudes of unconditional acceptance towards their gender-variant clients. Further to that argument, here, it is argued that gender-variant individuals may benefit from a specific form of artsbased psychotherapy, called Compassion-Oriented Art Therapy (Beaumont, 2012), which builds self-compassion through imagery and art-making in order to create greater resilience.

Editor’s Note

Sherry L. Beaumont is a psychology professor at the University of Northern British Columbia where she teaches and conducts research in developmental and positive psychology. She is also a student in the Post-Master’s/Ph.D. Certificate Program in Clinical Art Therapy at the British Columbia School of Art Therapy. She is a published author of research articles on art therapy, identity and emotional development, and family communication. Media reports of her research have been featured in Today’s Parent and Reader’s Digest magazines.

Editor’s Note

Sherry L. Beaumont is a psychology professor at the University of Northern British Columbia where she teaches and conducts research in developmental and positive psychology. She is also a student in the Post-Master’s/Ph.D. Certificate Program in Clinical Art Therapy at the British Columbia School of Art Therapy. She is a published author of research articles on art therapy, identity and emotional development, and family communication. Media reports of her research have been featured in Today’s Parent and Reader’s Digest magazines.