Creative
Arts Therapy
The Do's and Don'ts: A Guide to Attitudes in Art Therapy
- The process of making the artwork is more important than the product.
- Each patient proceeds at his or her own speed.
- Satisfaction is achievement. Trying to achieve "adult" perfection will lead to frustration and add to emotional tension rather than release.
- Investigation and experimentation is important for the patient.
- Messiness is, in itself, a valuable experience.
- The patient's personal achievement is hampered by unnecessary talk or hovering while creating.
- Never ask a patient to identify their art object or image. Refrain from saying "What are you making?" or "It looks like a square." What looks to you like a train of cars may be a caterpillar to he patient, or it may simply be an express of the person's feelings at the time. You may ask "What you like to tell me about this?" Leave the choice entirely to the patient.
- Show genuine
appreciation of the patient's work, regardless of your aesthetic feelings
about it. Patients on dialysis work hard to overcome the challenges
they face. Even the most high functioning patient has to contend with
noisy distractions, interruptions, and often the limitations of working
with only one hand...sometimes the non-dominant hand. It takes courage
to make artwork in an atmosphere where it is open to scrutiny by every
passerby.
- Be ready to rejoice with the patient in his or her achievement.
- Compare the artwork only with the artist's own previous work, rather than the work of others.
- Refer to the artist and the work, rather than your feelings, Say something like "You really had fun with the paint here in the road," or "It's one of the most colorful you've done." Never say "Oh, you spoiled it!"
- Encourage self-help as much as possible.
- Be supportive, but not intrusive.
