Spirituality and Art Therapy: Living the Connection - Paperback

by Mimi Farrelly-Hansen (Editor), Deborah Bowman (Foreword by)

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.

Author Biography

Mimi Farrelly-Hansen, artist, art therapist and licensed professional counselor, is founder and current adjunct faculty member of the Art Therapy and Transpersonal Counseling Psychology program at Naropa University, Boulder, Colorado. For the last eighteen years she has provided art therapy services for sexually abused clients (children, adults and couples), transracially adopted children, and participants in spiritual growth retreats and workshops.