Another Art in Response to Violence presentation

This week I did two presentations, one on art in response to violence.  It did a similar presentation to the one I presented in Chicago at the Art in Response to Violence International Conference.  Again, I presented on the use of art as a tool within an anti-violence agency.  I added the use of creative writing by one of my staff with clients who had completed trauma treatment.  This presentation was at the Annual Retreat hosted by the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, held at James Madison University in Harrisonburg.  I had a great time and was happy to bring Traci with me for her writing group experience. 

I repost my thoughts about what I am doing with this presentation from a previous blog post below…..

In my work at  the Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault (RCASA), I have incorporated  artistic creation into our work in rape crisis response at three levels.  Art Therapy in incorporated into the counseling program to work with survivors of violence in the immediate aftermath of violence as well as for survivors seeking counseling many years after the event.  Art Therapy is well-recognized as an exemplary treatment modality for survivors of violence.

RCASA has also worked with survivors to create and utilize the creative voice recaptured within therapy sessions to become advocates, using art to raise awareness and reduce stigma of sexually violent crimes.  This awareness campaign was developed under the “premise that survivors can be scholars of their own experience and to explore how the humanities can contribute to our understanding of sexual violence and expression” (Art of Surviving).   This awareness campaign as well as RCASA’s use of creative writing and art groups for graduates of our counseling program is designed to work with survivors to access the power of visual media to diffuse violence and increase awareness of the impact of violence on our society as a constructive social action.  Art as an advocacy tool “at once addresses the horrors of sexual assault along with gently giving a sense of hope in survival.” (Art of Surviving and RCASA exhibit 2008).  This ties in so well with the statement made by Junge, et all (1993) “as art therapists are we too often helping people adjust to a destructive society? “

Internally to the agency, another type of trauma can be a factor in response to survivors and that is the providers themselves.  Vicarious trauma within the violence response industry results a high turnover rate of crisis responders, advocates and counselors.  Rape crisis centers focus solely on one event, sexually violent crimes.  Rape crisis responders, counselors, advocates, and educators all experience the trauma of crime vicariously in their interactions with crime, a society that still incorporates victim-blaming and disruptions in community response to such stigma-infused crimes.   Here, the staff participates in creative art making sessions with the goal of metaphoric intervention within the staff group experience.   These sessions allows rape crisis providers of all types in the agency to maintain their bond in serving victims of violence, process their own experiences in dealing with victims, families, perpetrators, the legal system, and the community in general in a creative manner that combines working through metaphor, sharing space in a healing manner and sharing words of support and empowerment.

My goal in not only incorporating art therapy as a strong and recognized treatment for victims of violence but also to work toward the goal as an art therapist working in a community center to bring that voice toward and inclusive of my community.  And as an effect, bring the voice of the survivor to the community.

Related Articles

Highlighting Resources on Art Therapy with DV victims: “Breaking the Silence: Art Therapy with Children from Violent Homes”

In 1997, Cathy Malchiodi published a book:  ”Breaking the Silence: Art Therapy with Children from Violence Homes”

Published by Brunner/Mazel

This is a seminal resource for art therapists working with children from violent homes.  Cathy writes specifically on issues inherent on working with children in shelters and issues specific to therapists trying to work in shelters.  Her book is comprehensive in it focus on all aspects of working with children of violence: assessment, clinical work, developing programs, qualifications of art therapists, and policy.

This is one of the books I use as a resource for students learning in  my rape crisis center.

Highlighting Art Therapy in DV programs: Friends of Abused Families

Art Therapy – Children’s Program

Friends Children’s Program is available to children ages 5 years and older who reside in Washington County and have witnessed or experienced domestic violence. Programming includes individual and group art therapy, advocacy, parenting education, and family unit activities.

Women who are battered often go to extreme and courageous lengths to protect their children from an abusive partner. In fact, research has shown that the non-abusing parent is often the strongest protective factor in the lives of children who are exposed to domestic violence. However, growing up in a violent home may be a terrifying and traumatic experience that can affect every aspect of the child’s life, growth, and development. In spite of this we have learned that when properly identified and addressed, the effects of domestic violence on children can be mitigated. Children who witness or experience domestic violence cope by acting out aggression, role-reversal with adults, being controlling, under-achieving, withdrawing, regressing, escaping, and over achieving.

Art Therapy is a process where children are encouraged to explore a variety of art materials to express and communicate thoughts, fears and experiences. The act of creation can be used to help them develop strategies for coping and remaining safe in the future.

The symbolic quality of representation and the focus on imaginative expression is used to explore ideas feelings and issues which include:

• Hopes and concerns for the future. Make sense of external confusion.
• Enhance communication skills in relationships and in doing so develop insight.
• Provide a non-verbal avenue to express feelings/experiences too difficult to verbalize.
• Increase self esteem and confidence.
• Stimulate imagination and creativity.
• Assist with development of motor skills and physical coordination.

The act of making a piece of art triggers internal activity that contributes to physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. The Art Therapist, who is trained in counseling, employs many other techniques such as relaxation, child-centered play, behavior charts, and family systems counseling to promote healing in all areas of the family’s life.

For more information about the art therapy program please call 262-334-7298 or email info@fafinc.org

Highlighting Art Therapy in DV programs: The Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services

The Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services

provides a comprehensive network of mental health and social service to promote well-being, resilience and self-sufficiency for individuals and families in need in the New York metropolitan area.

Their domestic violence program:

Child abuse, family violence, family dislocation and community violence have enormous behavioral and psychological consequences. We run four domestic violence shelters, providing an enhanced trauma-sensitive care environment where healing and community rebuilding can occur. New York City children and families exposed to poverty and racism experience trauma at disproportionately high rates.

Our Preventive Services focus on strengthening families so they can stay intact through intervention, counseling and treatment. The core mission is to work with families where they are, in order to prevent further fractures in the family structure.

They incorporate art therapy into their programs and have focused internships as described from their website below:

There are a number of Art Therapy Internships available through different JBFCS programs.

A.R.T.I.S.T.S PROGRAM

Our A.R.T.I.S.T.S Art Therapy Internship Program accepts first and second year Art Therapy interns for an academic semester, year or summer commitment.

Second Year interns have the creative space to initiate their own groups or projects based on their academic interests. Research in trauma evidence based proposals strongly encouraged.

Interested Applicants please call:
Deborah Mondello, MS, ATR-BC, LCAT
Clinical Supervisor, Goldsmith
A.R.T.I.S.T.S. Program Coordinator
Phone: (914) 773-7434

ITTLESON ART THERAPY PROGRAM

The Art Therapy Program at the Henry Ittleson Center offers an Internship Program to two qualified candidates from accredited master’s degree programs in the New York City area.

Objectives of the Ittleson Art Therapy internship program are to provide students with specialized supervision where students integrate art therapy theory and practice into long term clinical experience in the treatment of children with psychiatric disorders and trauma histories within our residential treatment facility.

The Ittleson Art Therapy Program offers individual art therapy for school age children in residential care seen once weekly as part of clinical services. Students will be exposed to working within the residential and day treatment settings. Students attend an interdisciplinary student seminar where in the first semester relevant training topics are offered. In the second semester students will present their work to the clinical staff. At the internship year’s end the art therapy students will mount and host the Annual Art Therapy Show which serves as a celebration and provides closure to the work done by the children in art therapy.

Elsa Pelier MA, ATR-BC, LCAT

Supervisor, Art Therapy Department
epelier@jbfcs.org

The Art Therapy Program
Henry Ittleson Center
50 50 Iselin Avenue
Riverdale New York 10471
Phone: 718 549.6700 Ext. 203

LINDEN HILL ART THERAPY PROGRAM

The Linden Hill Art Therapy Program accepts first and second year Art Therapy intern applicants for a full-year commitment

Rebecca Beers Miller, MA, ATR-BC, LCAT, CCLS

Art Therapist
Phone: (914) 773-7560
Fax: (914) 773-7535
rbeers@jbfcs.org

J.M GOLDSMITH CENTER FOR ADOLESCENT TREATMENT PROGRAM

Adolescents at the Goldsmith Center have often had difficult life experiences which now make it hard to cope with the daily experiences of life. Our residential treatment program provides a therapeutic community in which residents can heal from life circumstances and move towards a more promising future.  The Goldsmith Center follows a trauma informed model of treatment, where the core values include non-violence, hope, and community shared actions.  This model is called the Sanctuary model, which also utilizes the concept of S.E.L.F. (Safety, Emotions, Loss, Future.)

Art therapy at the Goldsmith Center is available in both individual and group sessions.  The expressive therapies, such as art therapy, are especially important in helping traumatized adolescents work through their issues in a non-verbal venue. This is particularly important with trauma where pre-verbal experiences are more difficult to access in verbal based therapies. The art room has been created as a safe and nonjudgmental space in which residents can feel comfortable in expressing their thoughts, dreams, desires, feelings, and emotions.

Kim Wisniewski, MA, ATR-BC, LCAT, Art Therapy Supervisor

Erin Viola, MA, ATR-BC, LCAT, Art Therapist

 

 

 

Related Articles

• Art therapy helps deaf kids process sexual abuse (sfgate.com)

Ways Art Therapy can Support Domestic Violence Awareness – Get Informed

Get Informed about Art Therapy with Domestic Violence survivors:

Subscribe to Gretchen Miller’s Blog: Creativity In Motion: Bringing Awareness to Domestic Violence Through Art Therapy

Read Books and Articles (list from Gretchen’s awesome blog!)

• A Window Between Worlds- Art as a Healing Tool
• Courage Network:  Michelle Johnson Major- Being a Voice for Victims through Art
• Women’s E-news- Battered Women Paint Their Pasts, Imagine a Future
• Trauma & Children- The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC) Blog and TLC website.
• Group Interventions & Strategies:  Working with Children Exposed to Domestic Violence on SlideShare
• Domestic Violence & Art Therapy Resource from The International Art Therapy Organization
• Healing Arts on Psychology Today: Telling Without Talking: Breaking the Cycle of Domestic Violence