A Picture Is Worth One Thousand Words

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Re: Expression

From: Lori Andrews
Date: 10/21/00
Time: 10:37:16 PM
Remote Name: 152.163.207.67

Comments

After a drawing has been completed you can ask open ended questions such as "What is happening in your picture," or "Tell a story about your picture." This provides a safe context for the child to share whatever he/she is comfortable with at the time. The therapist can respond with a reflecting response that conveys they heard what was shared. Summarizing the picture as, "good," "pretty," or reflecting on the ability of the child is not appropriate as it assigns a good/bad quality to sharing feelings and experiences. The art process is a communication and the therapist can apply some of the basic principles of empathic listening. When art is created it should be kept in a special place that doesn't expose the vulnerable feelings of the child. There is sometimes a tendency to want to "show" this picture to others, such as hanging it in a public place or up on the wall with other's artwork. Think of the drawings as protected as words would be in a therapy session. If someone were to share something that was difficult to express, as a therapist you would honor that process and provide appropriate confidentiality. It is the same for what is shared in the art. The pictures shared in the gallery as part of this article were by permission of the artist and for the purpose of sharing with others what, "bumpy speech looks like." I encourage professionals who are not art therapists to be aware of their tendencies to comment on the art and to be comfortable with the art making process themselves. Using art is a great tool and can enhance the understanding of what the individual experiences.


Last changed: September 12, 2005