During the last twelve months, my theoretical approach to art therapy has been highly influenced by my placement at the School.
By reviewing my personality, counselling style and belief system, I have found my niche in a non- directive and person-centered approach to art therapy.
The School caters specifically for children with severe behavioral adjustment difficulties who cannot be supported successfully in mainstream primary school settings.
Throughout these children’s life, they have come across a lot of behavioral management practices, strategies and methods. However, the traditional reward-punishment model seem to have failed to contain their behaviors. I feel that for these children to genuinely internalize appropriate behaviors and values, a system based on external reinforcement is not enough.
Child- Centered philosophy
The child- centered philosophy is an encompassing philosophy for living one’s life in relationships with children— it is not a cloak of techniques, but a way of being based on a belief in children’s innate capacity to strive towards growth and maturity. (Landreth, 2002)
The following are a few examples that illustrate my clinical approach to art therapy under the influence of a humanistic, chid- centered framework.
Empathetic Tracking rather than Interpretations
Like many art therapist including Natalie Rogers (2011), I believe that children’s drawings are to bring unconscious to the conscious, and that their artwork are manifestation of their inner world in form of symbols. However, despite the use of psychoanalytic concepts to help me understand the therapeutic process, I restrain from making direct and verbal interpretation based on my analysis.
Rogers suggests that it was inappropriate for the therapist to try to make interpretations on the client’s behalf. I, too, believe that making complex interpretation about inner dynamics in a traditional Freudian sense is not helpful when working with children as they are not cognitively capable of complex concepts and abstract reasoning. Whilst an empathetic response to the child’s feelings at the here-and-now can be emotionally relieving (Landreth, 2002), a lengthy and deep analysis can be confusing..
Steve has a tendency to form strong attachment towards adult female figures; he frequently expresses affection towards me and other female teachers. One day, during an art therapy session he showed an interest in my work with other students.
Steve: Do you work with all students? Or just me?
I: You are wondering whom I work with. I work with some students but not all.”
Steve: Who is your favourite?
I: You are wondering if I like working with you
Steve: Yes!
By empathically stating the motive behind Steve’s question, I avoided the ‘difficult question’ of having to pick a favourite and Steve was relieved as I not only understood but also accepted his thoughts. Although I believed that his wanting to be “the favourite of all” is a result of transference and a reflection of his relationship with his mother, a direct verbal interpretation of that would be intrusive and was not likely to be therapeutic.
Letting the child leads
Another cornerstone of my learning of working with children is to let them take the lead. According to a child- centered approach, a child’s natural developmental state consists a continual process of movement toward the solution. Thus, there is no need for therapist to impose predetermined solutions onto the child. I see my role as a therapist as one who provides a relationship necessary for children to develop adaptive coping mechanism on their own terms and at their own pace.
Sometimes, following their lead also means to respect their need for silence. (Landreth, 2002) The importance of working in the child’s pace is highlighted in my work with Sean.
Sean came from a single- parent family with 10 children. He had multiple suspensions from school, was known for pathological lying, stealing and bullying. Being one of the 10 children at home and being labelled “the problematic one” in school, Sean was deprived of emotional presence and positive attention. Having to take care of his younger siblings he was rarely allowed to be “just a boy” and engage in art or play that are developmentally appropriate for him.
In the first session he was talkative and responsive. He very quickly engaged me in his art making process, and when I made comments on his work he acknowledged them by nodding and smiling.
Our relationship grew quickly; he seemed to enjoy my company and often asked to spend more time with me.
Nevertheless, as time went he became more and more quiet. In contrast to the first session, he no longer paid much attention to my presence. He did not ask for my help nor did he want me to join. I continued to give tracking responses for his behaviours, yet soon I felt that they were redundant and distracting for him. Although it seemed awkward for me at the start, I decided to respect his need for silence and independence.
He was no longer pre- occupied by the need to acknowledge or to please me. My “non- doing” attitude provided him with a space that was free from external demands and expectations, a space where he could relax and act naturally. As I respected the pace and pattern he set, he had made the sessions a truly therapeutic space for him.
(tbc…)
