The Handbook of Art Therapy

Bol

The Handbook of Art Therapy has become the standard introductory text into the theory and practice of art therapy in a variety of settings. The comprehensive book concentrates on the work of art therapists and the way that art and therapy can combine in a treatment setting to promote insight and change. The Handbook of Art Therapy has become the standard introductory text into the theory and practice of art therapy in a variety of settings. The comprehensive book concentrates on the work of art therapists and the way that art and therapy can combine in a treatment setting to promote insight and change. In this fourth edition, readers will gain both a historical overview of art therapy and insight into contemporary settings in which art therapists work, with a new chapter on the use of new technology and working online. The authors are highly experienced in the teaching, supervision and clinical practice of art therapy. Using first-hand accounts from therapists and patients, they look particularly at the role of the art work in the art process and setting in which it takes place. Chapters explore the theoretical background from which art therapy has developed and the implications for practice including the influence of art and psychoanalysis, creativity, aesthetics and symbolism, and the impact of different schools of psychoanalytic theory. Also featured is an extensive bibliography, encompassing a comprehensive coverage of the current literature on art therapy and related subjects. Covering basic theory and practice for clinicians and students at all levels of training, this book remains a key text for art therapists, counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists and students at all levels, as well as professionals working in other arts therapies.

Bol Partner

Art therapy is now an established profession in its own right and its practitioners have to undergo a rigorous course of training. This handbook is designed to appeal to people thinking of becoming therapists and to all who need to know about art therapy in different settings. It concentrates on what art therapists actually do, where they practice, and how and why art therapy can combine to aid a person's search for health and understanding of their underlying problems. The authors, who are both experienced in teaching and practising art therapy, build up a picture for the reader of the development of the profession to its present status. Using first-hand accounts of the experience of art therapy from both therapists and patients, they cover such aspects as the influence of psychodynamic thinking, the role of the image in the art process, and the setting in which the art therapist works. They also focus on art therapists themselves, their practice, background and training. A select bibliography gives an excellent idea of the current literature on art therapy and related subjects, and there is a glossary of psychoanalytic terms. Straightforward and firmly rooted in practice, The Handbook of Art Therapy will be invaluable not only as an introduction to the profession but also as a reference for students of art therapy both during and after training.