Family Creative Arts Circle: The Uses of Art Processes in Developing Nonverbal Communication Skills and Bonding in Families
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Authors
Hartman, Joan
Issue Date
1982
Type
Thesis
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
This thesis deals with the experience of its author and her partner in working with a group of families to bring the family members to a new and closer understanding of one another through art. The theoretical portion of the thesis deals with the issues of creativity as a healing process and art as a tool to facilitate family communication. The methodology that was followed involved introducing four families to a series of art processes over a period of six Saturday morning sessions. The families were then asked to evaluate the effectiveness of each process in terms of their own subjective experience. Art is seen as an integrative process at the intrapsychic level. Using Wilbur's (1979) "Spectrum of Consciousness" model of human growth, the process of human growth and healing is viewed as one of integrating a split polarity at various levels of consciousness. Art and the creative process, according to Arieti (1976) and Maslow (1971), entail a synthesis of primary and secondary processes. It is this synthesis that makes the creative process in itself therapeutic. Art therapy has been found to be effective in facilitating family communication. A survey is made of the literature on family art therapy, particularly the work of Kwiatkowska (1978) and Landgarten (1981). The ideas of "aesthetic bonding" and "creative bonding," developed by Allan Stein, are explored as possible models for the increased feeling of closeness and understanding that occurs among family members during and following shared family art sessions. Four families participated in a series of six sessions for this study. One of the families was referred by their therapist, and the other three families were self-referred. The families participated in art experiences working with collaborative murals, clay sculptures, masks, movement, and collage. The families were asked to evaluate each process. In general, the families found that the processes were most useful in helping them to feel closer to one another and understand each other better. Our major finding was, then, that the art processes did have an effect that could be described as facilitating "bonding," or an increased sense of closeness among family members. Further research would be valuable to answer the question of whether the art experience alone is sufficient to facilitate "bonding," or non-verbal communication, in families, or whether concomitant verbal therapy is also necessary.