Introduction to Art Therapy

PSYC2008 / FAA2008, 3 credits, Spring Semester 2013
Wednesdays, 1:25—4:10 pm • UC Clermont College campus
Instructors: Meera Rastogi, PhD and Kim Taylor, MFA

• Click here for 20/20 audio presentation.

This art therapy course will engage students in learning about how art can be used to gain insight and improve well being and how artists have used art for healing. Introduction to Art Therapy is a newly launched, collaborative course utilizing two UC instructors from psychology and fine art. The course will provide students with an interdisciplinary experience in and out of the classroom. During the semester, the combination of lecture and art making will culminate in community projects with groups in Hamilton and Clermont Counties. Students from a variety of disciplines and campuses will share experiences through the integration of psychology, fine art, art history and social work to gain an introductory insight into the use of art as therapy.

Students will create a workshop for a community organization that is in need of an art therapy session/ experience for their clientele. Students will work with the organization and design a workshop that utilizes knowledge gained in class to meet the needs of the organization and clientele.  These hands-on experiences will encourage students to engage in continued interactions with the organizations if they desire. The course will culminate in a discussion of ways students can use art and art therapy in their professions.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Articulate key theoretical foundations of art therapy and psychotherapy.
• Describe the roles of art therapists in educational, clinical, and community settings.
• Demonstrate an increased self-awareness and understanding of relevant genres and approaches to art.
• Describe how different forms of art are used for self-expression.
• Work as a team to create an art therapy workshop designed to meet the needs of a nonprofit community organization.
• Identify specific artists who approach art as therapy.
• Articulate ways to integrate art and art therapy in one’s profession.