Art Therapists Creating Art – Alongside, With and For Service Users - Online Delivery

This course is open to all who wish to attend. The course will outline the implications for theory and practice of creating art: alongside; with; and for service users. The ethical considerations and appropriateness of these ways of working will be examined and guidance offered for use within art therapy practice. Participants will also engage with experiential work and consider the experience from the perspectives of both service user and therapist.

The course will consider the role of the art object as a vital component in the process of ‘mirroring and attunement’ (Wright 2009). Wright’s theory develops and connects Klein’s (1952) object relations theory, Winnicott’s (1971) mirroring, with Stern’s (1985) notions about attunement, and applies them to the artist and the art object, facilitating a unique way of understanding the self.

The use of metaphor and symbolism will also be considered, as well as the value of aesthetics and humour within the therapeutic encounter. Once theory and context have been established, a range of creative and experiential techniques and tools will be taught and discussed.

On completion of this course you will be able to:

•  Describe art therapy interventions that make use of the art therapist’s own art making and its place in art therapy theory and practice.

•  Understand the process of ‘mirroring and attunement’ that takes place when making response art for service users and its use within the art therapy encounter.

•  Consider the ethics of using the art therapist’s own art making within groups and individual sessions with clients, through painting alongside, with or for service users.

•  Use one’s own artistic skills to develop and extend one’s art therapy practice by using response art techniques and interventions.

Dr Susan Carr is an art therapist, artist, and researcher, who has published articles in academic journals, presented papers at national and international conferences and exhibited in major exhibitions. Since completing her PhD in December 2015 Susan has written a book of her thesis entitled Portrait Therapy, exploring the theory and practice behind her development of this innovative intervention (published 2018 by Jessica Kingsley). In 2017 Susan’s PhD work attracted a grant from the Arts Council England, to stage the first major exhibition of this work (38 portraits), at Swindon Museum and Art Gallery.

Susan is also Co-Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Art Therapy and a Director of Council for the British Association of Art Therapists. Susan has 12 years’ experience of working as an art therapist in palliative care and now works in private practice.

Convenors: Dr Susan Carr