Art Therapy and Depression: Overview and a Few Techniques There are a variety of approaches to Art/Expressive Arts Therapy as a model of psychotherapy. While interpretation is always available, my approach is more process oriented. Utilizing creativity as a mirror of one’s life process, Art Therapy offers the opportunity to discover, confront, express and integrate deeply rooted, core issues experientially. This presentation will give an overview of Art Therapy, particularly as it relates to depression, and offer a few take-home techniques in working with clients. Scott La Fein, LMFT, has been working with clients in Art Therapy since 1986. Working in a variety of settings such as Adolescent Residential Treatment, VA Hospital, Juvenile Hall, Elementary, Middle and High Schools, University Counseling Center, private practice, The Centre for Creative Therapy, since 1996 and, most recently, in Redding at Creekside Counseling Center, he has had the rich and diverse opportunity to utilize and witness the inspiring and transformative capacity of creative process. “Art therapy is often mistakenly considered a therapy that applies only to children. As creative beings we humans need to be expressed. Conditioned by a consumer culture, distanced from our pure humanity, so many people of all ages find themselves despairingly ‘not knowing who they are.’ Creative process is a direct, transformative medium, an invitation to engage the confrontation of obstacles and inspirations and creatively and courageously come to meet one’s ever-evolving authentic self.” Lunch is available ($5 donation is recommended) For more information contact RRC-CAMFT Program Director, Scott La Fein at scottlaf@velotech.net.
Art Therapy and Depression: Overview and a Few Techniques
There are a variety of approaches to Art/Expressive Arts Therapy as a model of psychotherapy. While interpretation is always available, my approach is more process oriented. Utilizing creativity as a mirror of one’s life process, Art Therapy offers the opportunity to discover, confront, express and integrate deeply rooted, core issues experientially. This presentation will give an overview of Art Therapy, particularly as it relates to depression, and offer a few take-home techniques in working with clients.
Scott La Fein, LMFT, has been working with clients in Art Therapy since 1986. Working in a variety of settings such as Adolescent Residential Treatment, VA Hospital, Juvenile Hall, Elementary, Middle and High Schools, University Counseling Center, private practice, The Centre for Creative Therapy, since 1996 and, most recently, in Redding at Creekside Counseling Center, he has had the rich and diverse opportunity to utilize and witness the inspiring and transformative capacity of creative process.
“Art therapy is often mistakenly considered a therapy that applies only to children. As creative beings we humans need to be expressed. Conditioned by a consumer culture, distanced from our pure humanity, so many people of all ages find themselves despairingly ‘not knowing who they are.’ Creative process is a direct, transformative medium, an invitation to engage the confrontation of obstacles and inspirations and creatively and courageously come to meet one’s ever-evolving authentic self.”