Arts in Healing

This intensive course introduces the student to the field of creative arts therapy and methods employed in therapeutic interventions. A focus will be given to the specific nature of the arts in healing trauma, and the role of the arts in fostering hope in young people in crisis or at risk. Specific strategies for arts as healing will be presented. A distinction is made between creative arts therapy and therapeutic art-making in the community context, along with the ethical considerations in working with children and youth. Demonstrations and experiential formats will be utilized. Project required.

Course Objectives

• The nature of each art modality as a vehicle for holistic healing;
• Creative arts strategies and methods for working with victims of trauma and at-risk youth;
• The physiological components of healing through creative arts interventions
• The manifestations of Hope and the intentional construction of art experiences to engender Hope in children; and
• Risk & Protective factors.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Articulate the roles the arts play in healing, and the properties of each art form that facilitate healing and hope.
• Define trauma and PTSD
• Within the student’s professional expertise, demonstrate the application of arts as healing in trauma, conflict, crisis and catastrophe situations through appropriate design of arts interventions.
• List, recognize and facilitate manifestations of hope through art-making with youth
• Demonstrate an understanding of artists’ limitations and the need to make referrals
• Demonstrate and display characteristics of effective therapeutic facilitators of art experiences.
• List the various risk and protective factors and intentionally integrate the latter into design of art experiences. Effectively teach a lesson demonstrating 80% of the characteristics of good teachers

For further information about this course, check out the Arts in Healing site.