Integrating Art Therapy and Yoga Therapy. Karen Gibbons
the stress response during yoga practice, so that heart rate, respiration rate and blood pressure are reduced. When the physiological response to stress is reduced people experience less anxiety and improved mood (Harvard Mental Health Newsletter 2009). The kinesthetic activity of making art has been shown to activate the limbic system as well. Soothing the limbic system with yoga may be preparation for the brain to be ready to move in to the more complex demands of art making (Hass-Cohen 2008).
When stress is reduced and a state of flow is induced, then the suggestion to observe rather than judge is easier to implement. The lack of competition and judgment sets yoga practice apart from athletics and distinguishes engagement in art therapy from participating in an art class. When a person is encouraged to observe themselves, their behavior and their creative output without feeling judged or pushed to achieve, they are more likely to be open to change. The beauty of both yoga and art therapy is that non-judgment is continually cultivated.
All of the attributes mentioned here make the use of yoga and art therapy endlessly adaptive. The combined practice can target a wide range of needs. With care and mindful application yoga and art together can offer healing and growth to almost any population.
| COMPLEMENTARY ASPECTS | ||
| Yoga | Art therapy | |
| Starting point | body | mind |
| Medium | breath | art materials |
| Goal | calming the fluctuations of the mind | creative self-expression |
| Completion | stillness | processing oriented |
| Orientation | spiritual awareness | self-awareness |
In celebration of the remarkable commonalities yoga and art therapy possess, this book intends to help practitioners develop a skillful plan for marrying the two approaches. As in any marriage, it is also important to enjoy the complementary aspects of the pairing. Clients can experience each session in a variety of ways because of the many ways that yoga and art can be received. In a combined practice, the verbal intention stated at the beginning has many opportunities to affect the client as the session progresses. Therapy is never a one-size-fits-all experience. Different people can hold the same experience in different ways. Clients bring their fears, preconceptions and resistances into the room each time. The specific elements chosen for use in each session (mudra, yoga pose, art directive) are carefully selected to reinforce the treatment goal expressed in the intention. Some people may find that yoga practices guided by the breath connect them with observations that are important to them, while others may find that art materials are ideal vehicles for similar connections. At other times, every aspect of the session might present a client with opportunities for improving self-awareness.
Self-awareness is generally thought of as “insight” in a psychotherapeutic context and therefore psychotherapy is considered non-spiritual. In yoga, spirituality is not associated with any specific religion or organized set of rituals or system of beliefs; instead it is an individual holistic journey where each person follows their interests, priorities and perspectives. The yogic orientation refers to the self-awareness gained in yoga practice as “spiritual.” Misunderstanding arises when spirituality and religion are confused. As Gary Kraftsow explains (1999), traditionally yoga is “a comprehensive spiritual practice oriented toward purification…and realization” (p.3). Realization is the ability to look within and see the truth of our own being, known as samadhi, or pure consciousness. In samadhi, one is absorbed in the present moment and subject and object have no distinction. In sustained efforts of creativity, similar states are reached and, as in yoga, one begins to unite the self with the consciousness that inhabits everything (Franklin 2001).
The combined practice can promote the awareness that brings balance and strength to the whole person. When clients who participate in sessions combining yoga with art therapy are informed about the orientation of the session at the outset, they are able to make choices about how treatment will look for them. The advantage of being able to blend art therapy with a spiritual approach is that its holistic nature leaves room for clients to make their own distinctions and to initiate any religious content they wish (Furman 2013).
The goal of yoga, according to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, is to calm the fluctuations of the mind (Satchidananda 2012). With yoga practices, an individual or group can ground their bodies and quiet the mental distractions they bring to the session. Calming the mind and coming to stillness can be especially supportive of the art therapy process. At the beginning of a session, using the Intention Centered Yoga and Art Therapy Method, a verbal intention is established. Yoga mudras, meditation and poses bring the intention into the physical realm. Next, the art directive inspires creative expression related to the intention’s focus. Finally, at the end there is verbal processing of the experiential events. There is a good chance that creative self-expression can flow as the session comes full circle. Clients leave having had the opportunity to grasp the intention in a holistic way, through mind, body and spirit.
This book will show how to successfully blend the benefits of yoga and art into a single therapeutic practice. The Practice Chart for Intention Centered Yoga and Art, the centerpiece for the method, can be found in Chapter 5, pages 55–66. It is a numbered guide for 32 sequenced practices. Each row of the chart outlines a new sequence that can be used personally by anyone, or have clinical applications for art therapists and yoga therapists.
Chapter 1
MODALITIES
Art therapy
Art therapy is a wonderful modality with application to almost any population, as is evident from the American Art Therapy Association’s (2013) description:
Art therapy is a mental health profession in which clients, facilitated by the art therapist, use art media, the creative process, and the resulting artwork to explore their feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety, and increase self-esteem. A goal in art therapy is to improve or restore a client’s functioning and his or her sense of personal well-being. Art therapy practice requires knowledge of visual art (drawing, painting, sculpture, and other art forms) and the creative process. (p.1)
In the United States art therapy is a credentialed profession where the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB 2014) sets national standards for ethical and competent practice. The practice may also be licensed by state regulating bodies to assure that art therapists are properly educated and experienced in working in the field of mental health and wellness.
Art therapists may be familiar with people observing the effects of their work and calling it “magic.” This is because much of the therapeutic effects occur non-verbally and the client effortlessly accesses the unconscious (Wallace 1987). Art therapy stands alone as a mental health treatment in that it allows a person to access their innate creativity through the use of art materials. There are many ways that this can be accomplished. Art therapists tend to approach their work through the lens of theory. There are psychodynamically oriented art therapists, humanistic art therapists and those who take a cognitive-behavioral approach, as well as many other possible orientations (Rubin 1987). Art therapy’s benefits are not related to the approach the practitioner takes, rather the skill and sensitivity with which it is applied to various situations and people. The underlying common denominator is the clinician’s imperative to identify concerns and then craft their response to it within the modality.
Art making, of course, is the basis for art therapy as a clinical modality. There are advantages to simply participating in the art-making experience, from which Edith Kramer (2000) developed her approach of “art as therapy.” The artist gains benefits by giving form to experience. Kramer believed that the power inherent in art making is present because form and content are inseparable. The essence of the process is flexibility and openness.
Making art shifts a person’s mode of thinking; they begin to use intuitive associations and creativity as opposed to linear, analytic thinking. The part of the brain that craves novelty in the service of skill learning and problem solving is activated. This is the same part of the brain that is used for expressing and reading emotions (Duch 2007). Activating these qualities through art making allows the artist access to