As an artist, a therapist

Author: Arthur Robbins
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: In the classic work "The Art Therapist: Theory and Application of Art Therapy," Arthur Robbins explores how art therapists integrate aesthetics and psychodynamics into the therapeutic process. He believes that every psychological phenomenon has a corresponding aesthetic aspect, and integrating these elements can advance the therapeutic process. The therapist's inner artist responds appropriately to the client's use of color, space, form, and energy; the therapist then uses their artistic response to determine the psychodynamic meaning of each artwork. Robbins proposes that the complexity of aesthetic forms indicates that developmental issues have multiple solutions, and these issues are inevitably related to the demands of self-differentiation. He also emphasizes the importance of the therapist's personal experience in the theory of psychological development.