Art Therapy at the Richmond Hospital Education Program

Art Therapy and the Art Therapy and the Richmond Hospital Richmond Hospital Education ProgramEducation Program

Gretchen Graves, MSGretchen Graves, MSArt therapistArt therapist

MS in Art Psychotherapy MS in Art Psychotherapy Eastern Virginia Medical SchoolEastern Virginia Medical School

Licensed Art EducatorLicensed Art Educator

Copyright Gretchen Graves, M.S. 2008

What is Art Therapy

“Art Therapy is a human service profession that utilizes art media,

images, and the creative art process and client responses to the created products,

as reflections of an individual’s development, abilities, personality,

interests, concerns and conflicts. Art Therapy practice is based on knowledge

of human developmental and psychological theories.” (AATA)


The History Behind Art The History Behind Art TherapyTherapy

• 1928 Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud used art in 1928 Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud used art in treatmenttreatment

• 1940’s Margaret Naumburg stressed the therapy & art 1940’s Margaret Naumburg stressed the therapy & art a form of speech.a form of speech.

• 1940’s Edith Kramer stressed art, used as a way to help 1940’s Edith Kramer stressed art, used as a way to help a person sort through their thoughts=healing qualities.a person sort through their thoughts=healing qualities.

• 1935 Mary Huntoon VA hospital in Topeka, Kansas 1935 Mary Huntoon VA hospital in Topeka, Kansas • Elinor Ulman, began giving training classes at Elinor Ulman, began giving training classes at

Washington School of Psychiatry in the fifties.Washington School of Psychiatry in the fifties.• In 1967 Myra Levick began the first graduate program In 1967 Myra Levick began the first graduate program

at Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphiaat Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia• In Britain, Adrian Hill used art therapy for himself In Britain, Adrian Hill used art therapy for himself

while recovering from TB in a sanatorium and it caught while recovering from TB in a sanatorium and it caught on.on.


How it WorksHow it Works• ““Because it encompasses both the creative process Because it encompasses both the creative process

and self-expression, art is recognized for its and self-expression, art is recognized for its therapeutic role in helping children cope with therapeutic role in helping children cope with stresses and short- and long-term sequelea associated stresses and short- and long-term sequelea associated with physical illness, impairment, or injury, medical with physical illness, impairment, or injury, medical procedures such as surgery or pharmacological procedures such as surgery or pharmacological interventions, and hospitalization.” interventions, and hospitalization.” Cathy Malchiodi, 1999, Cathy Malchiodi, 1999, Medical Art Therapy with Children. Medical Art Therapy with Children.

• ReleaseRelease• DiscoveryDiscovery• Apprehension awareness and reductionApprehension awareness and reduction• Gaining insightGaining insight• Self-directionSelf-direction• Self-expression in a safe environmentSelf-expression in a safe environment


04/08/23Copyright Gretchen Graves, M.S.

2007 5

Working with Juvenile Working with Juvenile Detention Center Detention Center

Students 2002-2006Students 2002-2006Expressionistic Self-portraits and Free expressionExpressionistic Self-portraits and Free expression

Watercolors to help with patience and concentrationWatercolors to help with patience and concentration


04/08/23 6

Working with Juvenile Working with Juvenile Detention Center Detention Center

Students 2002-2006Students 2002-2006• Watercolor Mandalas for Assessment and Watercolor Mandalas for Assessment and

CenteringCentering


Art Therapist & the State Art Therapist & the State Operated Programs Operated Programs Art enrichment through Art enrichment through therapeutic means is available to therapeutic means is available to all students.all students.

““The goal of art therapy in SOPs is to create a safe The goal of art therapy in SOPs is to create a safe and creative environment for students to express and creative environment for students to express

their thoughts, energies, and behavior in a their thoughts, energies, and behavior in a positive manner that maypositive manner that may

• Encourage students awareness of their thoughts and actions;Encourage students awareness of their thoughts and actions;• Decrease impulsivity and increase frustration tolerance;Decrease impulsivity and increase frustration tolerance;• Increase self empowerment through the creative process;Increase self empowerment through the creative process;• Encourage independence and individuality;Encourage independence and individuality;• Improve respect for othersImprove respect for others• Encourage social interaction and cooperative behaviorEncourage social interaction and cooperative behavior• Provide experiences that help a student gain insight;Provide experiences that help a student gain insight;• Emphasize the unique abilities of each student;Emphasize the unique abilities of each student;• Support student academic experiences;Support student academic experiences;• Provide experiences that will enhance problem-solving skills;Provide experiences that will enhance problem-solving skills;• Foster relaxation and coping skills;Foster relaxation and coping skills;• Encourage identification and expression of feelings” Encourage identification and expression of feelings” -p. 7, 2007 Administrative Manual, State Operated Programs in Specialized Children’s Hospitals, DOE -p. 7, 2007 Administrative Manual, State Operated Programs in Specialized Children’s Hospitals, DOE

VAVA


SettingsSettings Groups or IndividualsGroups or Individuals Number of studentsNumber of students Materials (counting & safety)Materials (counting & safety) Mingled Mingled

ages, ages, developmental levels, developmental levels, educational level, educational level, contact precaution,contact precaution, emotional issues,emotional issues, length of staylength of stay


Art Therapy at the Art Therapy at the Children’s HospitalChildren’s Hospital

• Working with Working with severely physically severely physically handicapped and handicapped and sometimes extremely sometimes extremely cognitively impaired cognitively impaired childrenchildren

• IEP goals and IEP goals and objectivesobjectives

• Groups and Groups and individualsindividuals

• 2 days a week2 days a week


Art Therapy at Richmond Art Therapy at Richmond Hospital Education Hospital Education

Program Program • The first attempts at easel painting The first attempts at easel painting

with the severely physically with the severely physically handicapped (SPH) students.handicapped (SPH) students.



Program Program • Students Students

kept kept working working hard and hard and we kept we kept experimentiexperimenting with the ng with the best best methods to methods to insure their insure their success. success.


• Students are enabled to paint with Students are enabled to paint with little help using an easel.little help using an easel.


Program Program



ProgramProgram• Students grow from barely holding a Students grow from barely holding a

paint brush to creating master paint brush to creating master pieces.pieces.



ProgramProgram• Severely Physically Handicapped Severely Physically Handicapped

students have art work chosen for students have art work chosen for show. show.



Program Program • Working as a third hand with Working as a third hand with severely handicapped children to severely handicapped children to help students create 3D art.help students create 3D art.


Art Therapy at MCVArt Therapy at MCV

• Work with medically ill childrenWork with medically ill children• Long and short term staysLong and short term stays• usually individuals, sometimes groups (contact usually individuals, sometimes groups (contact

precautions)precautions)• 3 days a week3 days a week


The Art Cart at MCVThe Art Cart at MCVArt is done

bedside, in the child life

room, in the classrooms, by the windows, in the hall,

anywhere the student finds comfortable

space.



Program Program • Making medical supplies seem less Making medical supplies seem less

threateningthreatening• Foster relaxation and coping skillsFoster relaxation and coping skills• Encourage expression of feelingsEncourage expression of feelings



Program Program • Window art Window art

brightens brightens children’s stay at children’s stay at the hospital. the hospital.


Art TherapyArt Therapy

• Like a beacon in the night, art can shine Like a beacon in the night, art can shine the way!the way!

Health & Medicine

Art Therapy at the Richmond Hospital Education Program