This is a quote I read in Bruce Moon’s book, Introduction Into Art Therapy. Something deep struct in me as I read this story that Moon created to read to his clients. Just as he instructed his clients to make response art, so did I. This story is a potent metaphor for how I connect with my mental health challenges. As I reflected on why I felt connected to this story, I realized that I am both the dog and the master. As I began sketching my reflection and the image of a dog seeing itself in the mirror came to me. A dog might think it sees another dog in the mirror, but really, it is looking at itself. Without the context of what a mirror is, the dog doesn’t understand who he is looking at. Just like the dog, I may not be able to see how I am hurting myself without the context of understanding my own mental health patterns and processes. This assignment reinforced my understanding of art as a reflection and personal inquiry tool. I saw how art can make new connections in emotional processing and begin to create new patterns of thought through the use of art.

I felt a deep connection with Bruce Moon’s theoretical approach and style as I read his work toward the beginning of the program. Moon’s theory is rooted in the belief that feelings and emotions can be difficult to put into words and that art can be used as another language for communicating that addresses this struggle. Moon’s process-oriented approach is what I always felt was missing when I was getting my Studio Fine Arts degree. Responding to the art and the process of creating it is where my heart is at, not just about the product. Moon believes that symbolism and metaphor are present in our works of art this information can be discovered and processed with the client and therapist so the client can begin to understand themself better. Additionally, Moon takes a holistic approach with his clients, recognizing that mind and body are involved in the art-making process as well as a safe and non-judgemental therapeutic environment and relationship.

The one thing about Moon’s work that scared me was his emphasis on group therapy. Reflecting back on his book and my work from this class, I remember feeling that I might never be able to hold sessions like this because of my fear of working with groups. Fast forward a year, and I find myself extremely excited about the possibility of holding art therapy groups. I accredit this passion to a few instructors who facilitated groups in such a wonderful way that I was able to experience the benefits of being in a group and witness how leading groups can actually be fun.

Expressive Therapies Continuum

Learning about the ETC is an essential part of becoming an art therapist. Vija Lusebrink first developed the ETC, and Lisa Hinz more recently developed the theory behind the ETC. The ETC is the way of understanding how different techniques and materials in art-making elicit different responses in individuals. Understanding each level and its components was pivotal in my learning experience so I could better understand how to work with clients with different needs and be intentional about structuring sessions for clients. As therapists, our goal is to create a safe space where clients feel that they can express themselves openly and be supported and ultimately avoid causing any harm to the client. By understanding how the materials impact emotional processing, art they avoid harming a client by putting them into a situation with material or experiencing a directive that could be inappropriate or triggering. An important goal of therapy is to learn about thought patterns and internal processes. The ETC helps therapists determine what kind of techniques and materials will help clients begin to learn to express themselves and create a deeper sense of understanding within themselves.

My work below represents several weeks of studying the ETC and completing different “self circles,” which contain artifacts of my self-exploration in each area of the ETC. For example, the green circle in the bottom right corner represents a thick painting where I focused on mixing and moving the paint around the circle. This represents the Kinesthetic/ Sensory level, where the use of movement helps the client move energy and create a sense of calm. For me, moving the colors around in this circle helped me to relax physically and also allowed me to regulate my nervous system after a stressful class. The image on the bottom left was an example of me working at the Cognitive/Symbolic level of the ETC. Through this image, I was exploring what the howling wolf meant to me and how it connected to a wild and rebellious side of myself, which can often feel like a shadow part of myself. This level of the ETC is often when symbols come up that allow the client to explore more profound meaning and shadow parts.