Integrating the Arts in Therapy: History, Theory, and Practice

In 1981, the author first published the groundbreaking, classic text, The Arts and Psychotherapy. He now returns to a revisioning of that work in these times. This new text is a reshaping and a fresh look at the work to which the author has devoted his professional, and much of his personal, life: the healing power of the arts. This new work masterfully integrates theory with practice, drawing upon concrete examples and case studies. The youthful passion for the work remains and the commitment to honoring the creative process is unwavering. The book clarifies, contextualizes, and grounds the field in its full history. The author clearly shows unerring capacity to honor the traditions of various art forms while simultaneously being open to untraditional methods of encouraging readers to tap into the healing forces of self-expression. The book is a comprehensive literary documentation of the author's theoretical orientation that is the foundation of four decades of experimentation and practice. The text presents not only a thorough discussion of theory, but also an account of the emergence of a multidisciplinary approach to working with people everywhere. Further, it offers glimpses into clinical work with children, adolescents, and adults that serve to anchor the author's ideas in authentic case vignettes that are an invaluable contribution to the body of knowledge. The book clearly achieves its goal to assure present and future expressive arts therapists that they are not alone in the challenges they face in offering people access to the medicines of the arts and that the most vexing problems in helping others express themselves are inextricably connected to how the arts heal.