Clay art therapy inspires awakening. Earth-infused and experiential methods are relational, self-reflective, and transformational. Clay therapy provides documented outcomes in healing, anxiety and stress reduction, trauma and recovery, as well as in reframing beliefs and identity. The approach builds skills in daily living and relationships. Seeking a holistic perspective to inform clay therapy, this project follows decades of research into the healing of trauma in minority cultures revealing the hidden power of spirituality as meaning making. A person-centred method reframes minority identity within a postmodern psychotherapy. Experiential methods in therapeutic art-as-life and life-as-art embraces scientific evolutionary theories of development, cooperation, ascent, and convergence. Clay-based psychotherapy is informed by culturally infused methods reflecting on western, minority, and disability experiences. We explore our therapy studio productions as well as the works of contemporary sculptor Andrea Martini, and the 15th century works in terracotta by Andrea della Robbia. Our approach provides for opportunities to reflect on the nature of clay art therapy in healing, capacity and skill building, identity formation, and in facilitating transcendent outcomes.

Reflecting the increasing recognition of the importance of the spiritual in healing, Spirituality and Art Therapy is an exciting exploration of the different ways in which the spiritual forms an essential, life-enhancing component of a well-rounded therapeutic approach. The contributors are leading art therapists who write from diverse perspectives, including Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and shamanic. They explain how their own spiritual and creative influences interact, finding expression in the use of art as a healing agent with specific populations, such as bereaved children, emotionally disturbed adolescents, and the homeless. The relationships between spirituality and visual art, art therapy and transpersonal psychology are examined. Story and image are interwoven in the spiritual journeys of therapists and clients, and suggested creative exercises make this an accessible, practical resource for those who desire to understand and execute an holistic method of therapy. Arguing that art therapists can mediate between the sacred and the mundane, this pioneering book is an affirmation of the transformative power of art therapy.

The book is an exciting exploration of the different ways in which the spiritual forms an essential, life-enhancing component of a well-rounded therapeutic approach. The contributors explain how their own spiritual and creative influences interact, finding expression in the use of art as a healing agent with specific populations.

Booklet representing in the early stages the investigation of a technique which is a suitable adjunct to spiritual directions and all forms of psychotherapy.

An expert in art therapy offers this “wonderful” guide “for anyone, artistic or not, who is interested in using art to know more about himself or herself” (Library Journal) Making art—giving form to the images that arise in our mind's eye, our dreams, and our everyday lives—is a form of spiritual practice through which knowledge of ourselves can ripen into wisdom. This book offers encouragement for everyone to explore art-making in this spirit of self-discovery—plus practical instructions on material, methods, and activities, such as ways to: • Discover a personal myth or story • Recognize patterns and themes in one's life • Identify and release painful memories • Combine journaling and image making • Practice the ancient skill of active imagination • Connect with others through sharing one's art works Interwoven with this guidance is the intimate story of the author's own journey as a student, art therapist, teacher, wife, mother, and artist—and, most of all, as a woman who discovered a profound and healing connection with her soul through making art.

Clay Work and Body Image in Art Therapy provides an important addition to resources available in the field of clay work and art therapy, highlighting the unique sensory aspects of the medium and its ability to provide a therapeutic resource for women who experience body image issues. Chapters offer a comprehensive distillation of current knowledge in the field of body image, clay work, neuroscience, and art therapy, building a theoretical framework around personal narratives. Case studies examine the benefits of exploring body image through clay work within art therapy practice, providing a positive and contained way to find personal acceptance and featuring photographs of clay body image sculptures created by research participants that highlight their individual stories and experiences. As well as offering both clinical and practical implications, the text provides a full protocol for the research and evaluation methods carried out, enabling further replication of the intervention and research methods by other therapists. This book highlights clay work as a significant resource for art therapists, arts in health practitioners, and counsellors, providing an emotive yet contained approach to the development of personal body image acceptance and self-compassion.