Book reviews / The Arts in Psychotherapy 29 (2002) 273–276 275

are overweight by normative standards) affect bothself-perception and relationships with others. Othercategories such as “recovering addicts” and individu-als who have been incarcerated have identified indi-viduals as outside the acceptable mainstream. Hays’model, in my opinion, can facilitate greater under-standing of the effects of the identity of “other.” Hermodel, it seems to me, advocates not only toleranceof difference, but acceptance of the range of humanexperience, so necessary not only in treatment but ineveryday life.

Even though Hays did not attend to power dif-ferentials inherent in dominant-minority identities, ordiscuss cultural assimilation as issues so influentialto cultural identification, relationships to family andconnections to place, I would suggest that her workcan lead the way to these discussions.

I also suggest that the creative arts therapies thathave suffered their own crises in identity for manyyears (Johnson, 1999) have the opportunity to makesignificant contributions with their own methods inaddressing multicultural issues such as presented byLewis (1997)in this journal and culturally responsivetreatment in collaboration with this significant workthat Hays has brought us.

N. SlaterBen-Gurion UniversitySchool of Social Work

P.O. Box 653, Beer Sheva, IsraelE-mail address: nslater@bgumail.bgu.ac.il

PII: S0197-4556(02)00207-1

References

Al-Krenawi, A., & Graham, J. R. (Eds.). (2003).Multicultural social work in Canada: Working withdiverse ethno-racial communities. Toronto: OxfordUniversity.

Anderson, F. E. (1992).Art for all the children: Approachesto art therapy for children with disabilities. Springfield,IL: C.C. Thomas.

Campbell, J., Liebmann, M., Brooks F., Jones, J., & Ward,C. (Eds.). (1999).Art therapy race and culture. London:Jessica Kingsley.

Dokter, D. (Ed.). (1998).Arts therapists refugees andmigrants: Reaching across borders. London: JessicaKingsley.

Hammond, L. C., & Ganif, L. (1998). Using artin counseling: Ethical considerations.Journal ofCounseling & Development, 76, 271–276.

Henley, D. R. (2000).Exceptional children: Exceptional art:Teaching art to special needs. Worcester, MA: Davis.

Hiscox, A. R., & Calisch, A. C. (Eds.). (1998).Tapestry ofcultural issues in art therapy. London: Jessica Kingsley.

Johnson, D. R. (1999).Essays on the creative arts therapies:Imaging in the birth of a profession. Springfield, IL:C.C. Thomas.

Lewis, P. (1997). Multiculturalism and globalism in the artsin psychotherapy.The Arts in Psychotherapy, 24, 123–127.

Perez Foster, R. M., Moskowitz, M., & Javier, R. A. (Eds.).(1996). Reaching across boundaries of culture andclass: Widening the scope of psychotherapy. London:Jason Aronson.

Silver, R. A. (2002).Developing cognitive and creativeskills through art: Programs for children withcommunication disorders or learning disabilities.Available at:iUniverse.com

Weinrach, S. G., & Thomas, K. R. (1998). Diversity-sensitive counseling today: A postmodern clash ofvalues.Journal of Counseling & Development, 76(2),115–122.

Mind over Matter: The Uses of Materials in Art,Education and TherapyDon Seiden (Chicago, IL: Magnolia Street Publishers,2001, 104 pages, $18.95 paperback)

Mind over Matter by Don Seiden fills a gap in therecent art therapy literature, and does so with unpre-tentious charm. The book is a short one, only 104pages, attractively designed and illustrated. It is orga-nized in two sections, with the first introducing art ma-terials, and the second focusing on the elements of art.In Section 1, Seiden describes the media with whichwe draw, paint and sculpt as well as more technologi-cally sophisticated media. He does so in a highly per-sonal way, sharing with the reader his early memoriesof sensori experiences and what he has learned fromhis lifelong engagement with art materials and pro-cesses. He seeks engagement, beginning by suggest-ing that the reader work with a sheet of plain whitepaper without any tool other than the body.

The hands can tear, crush, roll, fold, and if youwant to break rules of gentility, you can stamp onit, chew it, and create a sculpture which expressesany and all of these actions. As you experience yourgestures, two things happen; one, the gestures them-selves leave a message of what happened—that is,the paper looks as if it was crushed or folded—and two, the object itself begins to take on a life ofits own. It has been transformed into an object thatconveys thefeelings that were inherent in the ac-tions. The object carries within it the change of di-mension which occurred in the transformation. Theobject reflects the power of the actions, itfeels likeit was crushed. It may look like something else, aflower, or a twisted rope. The activity has been cap-tured within the object. If you like the object, youcan put it upon a pedestal and call it a sculpture. Ifyou don’t like it, you can throw it away and sim-ply reflect on the experience and think about what amarvelous thing your body is. The experiment usedyour whole brain: sensation, motor, memory, emo-tion, spatial, symbolic and high level function. If

276 Book reviews / The Arts in Psychotherapy 29 (2002) 273–276

you feel good about this creation, then call it Art.If not, then view it as a experience of self integra-tion . . . body and mind. (p. 16)

This passage sets the tone for the remainder ofthe book. Seiden’s understanding of the psycho-logical properties of art media and art processes asmetaphors is complex; his sensitivity to the subtletyof relationships between artist and media is clearlyevident on every page. He analyzes each medium, itssymbolic potential, its physical properties and howthey influence the art making process and products.His creative “hands-on” suggestions invite the readerto experiment with materials in ways that bring tolife the complexity of the concepts he introduces.

The receptive and thoughtful student of art therapyis likely to find Section 1 helpful, as an agent ofchange, raising awareness of how art media and artprocesses can function as therapeutic tools.

In the next section, Experiencing the Elements ofArt, Seiden asks us to look at the visual language. Hespeaks of line, linear experience, shape, color, textureand surface, size and scale, balance and motion. Allthose elements are thoughtfully discussed in relationto human psychological functioning.

Seiden does not attempt to provide any particularsabout how he works with clients in the therapeuticprocess. There are no case examples and withoutthis, the reader is left to wonder just how Seidenapplied his insights in clinical practice. Nonetheless,the book communicates his mastery of the processesof art as therapy, and his deep respect for humanbeings and their artistic processes. His orientation totherapy clearly relies on establishing a strong clientcentered therapeutic relationship.

Many of the simple tools of artmaking can beseen as assertive or aggressive symbols in a simplephysical sense. Pencils, brushes, crayons, chalk,knives, chisels and other tools are used to contact areceptive surface or material. The receiving materialcan be described as receptive in that it receives theinstrument, and the relationship which follows is insome ways similar to a human relationship whichbegins with physical contact and, like art, can

develop deeper and more abstract qualities. The in-strument and the material influence one another andtheir relationship becomes as simple or complex asthe artist is capable of expressing. (p. 28)

This reader was left with no doubts as to Seiden’sskills as a facilitator of art as therapy, but I do wish hehad included a case study. To hear about his experi-ence working with even one client, and to see exam-ples of the artworks would have further strengthenedthis interesting book.

The book is illustrated with black and white pho-tographs of the author’s own art. The pieces that areselected clearly demonstrate Seiden’s expertise as asculptor with many media, and his sensitivity to thevisual language. He chose examples that are directlyrelated to specific topics. For example, in the sectionon size and scale, Seiden’s illustration is of a life sizedchess set photographed with people standing amongthe pieces.

Seiden speaks with his own authentic, and very en-gaging voice. He communicates complex ideas withelegant simplicity, and in doing so, risks being mis-taken for stating the obvious. However, the carefulreader will appreciate the meaning of the concepts hediscusses and the depth of his experience and under-standing. His message is clear, and most welcome.I plan to use this book as one of several texts in aclass on art therapy technique because it speaks soeloquently about the foundations of art therapy, me-dia, processes, the elements of art and how they re-late to the human experience. The book will be usefulfor art therapy students, and for other less visuallyliterate therapists seeking an “eye opening” readingexperience.

Christine Turner, ATR-BCLPC, NCC (Chairperson)

Graduate Program in Art TherapyMarylhurst University, P.O. Box 261

17600 Pacific Hwy (Hwy 43)Marylhurst, OR 97036, USA

E-mail address: cturner@marylhurst.eduPII: S0197-4556(02)00208-3