Encouraging Wellness Through the Arts

Nicole M. Randick, Ed.D, ATR-BC, LPC, NCC

ART + WELLNESS COPING SELF

The use of art in counseling has been the topic of many counseling Realistic beliefs Learning to manage fictive beliefs and
articles and publications over the past decade. The American responses to these beliefs.
Counseling Association (ACA) recognized its importance with the Stress management Effective coping with lifes challenges.
establishment of its 19th division, the Association for Creativity in Self-worth Having successful experiences through self-efficacy.
Counseling (ACC) in 2004. Art-based interventions can be done Leisure Opens pathways to growth in both creative and spiritual
with a variety of populations and address psychological and dimensions.
emotional needs. The art making process creates a safe, structured,
and non-judgmental environment that elicits the creation and Art Directives
communication of ones world through pictorial images. Self- Safe Place Drawing/ Meditation
expression through art can help with the emotional health, well- Draw yourself as a super hero
being, and growth of the artist as it fosters self-expression, Draw a person picking an apple from a tree (PPAT, Lowenfeld, 1947)
enhances coping skills, manages stress, and strengthens ones Draw a person in the rain (Oster & Gould, 2004)
sense of self. Poetry (e.g. I Walk Down The Street)
The Indivisible Self (IS-Wel) model developed by Myers and
Sweeney (2005), with its five second-order factors of the self ESSENTIAL SELF
Creative, Coping, Social, Essential, and Physical can be used as a
vehicle to encourage wellness through the arts. Art directives that Spirituality Viewed by Adler as central to holism and wellness.
focus on the factors within The Indivisible Self wellness model Self-care Proactive efforts to live long and live well.
help to foster an inner sense of accomplishment, belonging, and Gender/Cultural Identity Filters through which life experiences
social interest. Art promotes an understanding of ones holistic are seen. Effects how we see ourselves, others, and the world and
functioning, focuses on ones strengths, and contributes to the how we make sense of meaning and purpose in our lives.
overall nature of well-being and wellness. Art Directives
Myers, J. E., & Sweeney, T. J. (2005). The indivisible self: An evidence- Silhouette collage
CREATIVE SELF based model of wellness. Journal of Individual Psychology, 61(3) 269-279. Family tree Self portraits
Mask making Mandala drawing
Thinking Affects the emotions and body. Self box Self Crest/Shield
Emotions Influences ones cognitive responses. THE INDIVISIBLE SELF
Scribble drawing (Naumburg, 1966)
Control Influences events in ones life. I am others are the world is(Sutherland et al., 2010)
Positive Humor Influences physical and mental functioning. The Indivisible Self model provides a foundation for
Work Enhances ones capacity to live life fully. evidence-based practice for mental health and counseling PHYSICAL SELF
Art Directives Bridge drawing practitioners. It is based on characteristics of healthy
Feeling drawings Personal comic strip people and thus can be considered to be strength-based; it Exercise and Nutrition Influences changes over a lifespan and
Positive attributes sculptures Free drawing: explore images is choice-oriented in that wellness behaviors reflect promotes longevity of life.
Metaphor drawings (Draw yourself as an animal)
intentionality in lifestyle decisions; and it is theoretically
Art Directives
grounded. Practitioners can use the model, with or
SOCIAL SELF Create your ideal self
without the accompanying assessment instruments, to Body image drawing
Friendship & Love Enhances the quality and length of ones help clients understand the components of wellness, the Draw yourself on drugs; draw yourself off drugs
life. Social support is an identified predictor of positive mental interaction of those components, and the manner in How you see yourself and how others see you.
health over the lifespan. which positive change can be created through a focus Life Span drawing: Draw yourself now and draw yourself in the
Art Directives on strengths as opposed to weaknesses. Thus, the future; or Life map drawing.
Friendship circle Indivisible Self presents yet another means of incorporating
Puzzle pieces Abuse cycle drawing Adlerian theory and methods into the mainstream of The counseling profession should reinforce for students that we are a
Encouragement cards Joint picture research and clinical practice (p. 277). single profession composed of counselors with specialized areas of
Draw on the same piece of paper. Murals training (Kaplan & Gladding, 2011).