Course Syllabus:

California Institute of Integral Studies

Introduction to EXA for Non-Students
Spring Semester 2010

Instructor: Kate T. Donohue, Ph.D., REAT
Office hours by appointment on Fridays
Private Practice Phone: 415-695-1464
Fax: 415-296-7425
CIIS phone: ext. 412 (only available on Fridays)
Email: kate@kate-donohue.com

DESCRIPTION OF COURSE CONTENT:

The psyche is revealed not only through words, but through images, symbols and the body. The Expressive Arts reawaken the language of image, movement, sound, metaphor, drama and poetic utterances, revealing the deepest aspects of the self and expressing what often cannot be put into words. Drawing, painting, sculpture, movement, dance, sandplay and ritual provide access to your client’s inner world Weaving art processes into clinical and counseling work greatly expands the capacity to articulate-with fullness and specificity-what lies buried within us, by using each modality as it called for in the unfolding process. As both therapist and client work with these healing multi-arts processes, the creative spirit is aroused and the therapeutic process itself is experienced as art.

Integrating clinical and expressive arts theory, experiential process with the arts and clinical applications, participants will learn about

  • their own creative process and 
  • their artist within,
  • expressive arts trauma approaches,
  • applications to different psychic woundings,
  • applications to diverse cultural groups and individuals
  • growth approaches to consulting and education
  • how to begin to deepen and enliven their practice through the expressive arts

 

PREREQUISITES:  None                                 
Class size: 18

SUMMARY OF EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE:

Expressive Arts Therapy weaves the arts into healing tapestries. This course will lay the foundation of expressive arts therapy which will allow participants to experience and learn about the power and potential of these multi-arts processes to deepen, enhance and enliven their psychotherapy practices and lives. Participants will learn about the potentials of each art modality, the approaches to Intermodal arts processes and ways to develop a deep personal relationship with their own creative process. Additionally, applications of these processes to clinical, consultation and educational and cross-cultural settings will be explored

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Participants will:
1.   Experience expressive arts therapy processes.
2.   Develop a theoretical understanding of these processes.
3.   Begin to understand the ways to weave arts modalities.

  • Be introduced to paradigms that will aid in comparing and contrasting modalities.
  • Deepen their relationship to their own creative process
  • Be able to apply EXA processes to their life and work

 

LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

1.   Cognitive:  discussion, reading assignments, and clinical material 30%
2.   Experiential:  personal process with the EXA approaches   30%
3.   Practical:  two assignments  40%

 

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION:

Attendance and participation in class discussions:
Participation in all classes is required because of the emphasis on process and experience.

  • Please call if you will miss a class. Only compelling reasons will be accepted.    40%
  •  Completion reading and writing assignment: There is one written assignment. Please submit on due date, unless there is a compelling reason. 30%
  •  Completion of arts projects: There are two arts projects. Please submit on due date, unless there is a compelling reason. 30%

REQUIRED READINGS:

  • Levine, S., and Levine, E. (eds.). (1999). The Foundations of Expressive Arts Therapy. Philadelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
  • Knill, P.,  Levine E. and Levine, S. (2005) Principles and Practices in EXA. Philadelphia, PA.: Jessica Kingley Publishers.
  • Donohue Selected Readings

Strongly Suggested:

  • 1. Lewis, P.  (1993). Creative Transformation: The Healing Power of the Arts.
  •  Wilmette, Illinois: Chiron Publications.
  • 2. McNiff, S, (1987).  The Arts and Psychotherapy.  Springfield, Illinois: Charles, C. Thomas.
  • Levy, F. (1995). Dance and Other Expressive Art Therapies. Routledge Press: New York.
  • Knill, P.J., Barba, H.N. and Fuchs, M. N. (1995) Minstrels of Soul: Intermodal Expressive Arts Therapy. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Palmerston Press.

 Materials Fee: $15.00 due in the first class.

DATES, LOCATIONS, THEME, ARTS ASSIGNMENTS AND READINGS:

Six  classes scheduled on Fridays 3-6 PM. There are twp Saturday class on 1/30 and 3/13 From 10 AM-6 PM

1.    January 22nd Monday

Introduction to the class and to the field of EXA:
In this class, we will begin to open the door to the field of expressive arts therapy.

First, we will delve into the three worlds of consciousness active in EXA through an experiential process. Using this process, we will begin to define EXA. We will close with a discussion of syllabus and assignments: weekly arts response and final process exploring the artist within and a clinical application paper

Reading Assignments:
Foundations Of EXA: Introduction and chapter 3
Principles and Practices: Introduction and chapter 1

Arts Assignment:
With the clay provided, create an image of your Temenos to hold you in this experiential class. See arts assignments for further instructions

 

2.   January 29th, Monday
Creating the Temenos:

Check through the arts assignment and through readings.
Using your clay images, we will begin to create both individual and the group Temenos. This will help us explore the relationship among the therapeutic process, the EXA process and spiritual explorations.  This class will help us learn how visual images speak when used singularly and in an integrative arts process or approach. We will focus on individual arts process,

 

Readings:
Foundations:  chapters 6 and 8
Principles and Practices: chapter 2

Arts Assignment: Explore one of the visual arts processes. Write about your images and memories that surface from exploring this process and what other modalities you might have used in conjunction with visual arts.

 

 

3-4.January 30th, Saturday

10AM-1 PM
Exploring Dreams through the Arts
Check through the arts assignment and through readings.

 

Weaving participants’ dreams with a case presentation of dream work with life threatening illnesses; we will learn how to use music, active imagination and visual imagery with dream

 

2 PM- 6 PM
Decentering through the Creative Process and Intermodal music

Using a receptive music Intermodal process, we will explore de-centering and the creative process, an integral part of EXA processes.

 

Reading Assignments:
Foundations: chapters 5 & 9
Principles: Chapter 3, parts I & II

Arts Assignment: Pick a piece of music and listen to this music, noting the imagery and somatic response you have to this music. After listening to the music, create an abstract drawing about the experience. Map the drawing and dialogue with the part that has the most energy

 

  • Exploring Interpersonal Relationships through Drama oriented EXA processes.

Check through the arts assignment and through readings.

We will focus on drama based expressive arts processes both group and individual to demonstrate how the arts can illuminate and uncover essential aspects of interpersonal and intra-psychic relationships. Please dress in loose
fitting clothes.

 

Reading Assignments:
Foundations: 13
Principles: chapter 3 part III

Arts Assignment: Using drama-based processes, explore a dream or interpersonal dilemma and combine this exploration with another arts processes to get the feel of an integrated arts process.

  • February 12

 

Check through the arts assignment and through readings.

The Body’s Wisdom through Dance and Movement.
Using movement based arts processes, we will explore the wisdom of the body to delve into the unconscious. We will also view  a video of movement based processes with body oriented issues.

Reading Assignments:
Foundations: chapter 7 and 13
Principles; Review chapter 2 part III

Arts Assignment: Explore one of the body-oriented processes. Write about your movements, images and memories that emerged, comment on the difference in experience with visual arts and movement. What modalities might you have woven into this experience?

 

  • February 19th

Check through the arts assignment and through readings.
The Body Wisdom and Trauma
EXA in Trauma work:
We will begin this class exploring trauma theory and some current brain research on trauma. With this foundation, we discuss somatically-based approaches to trauma by viewing a video on body-oriented work with trauma of Bosnia.
This will expand our view of EXA into cross-cultural realms. Additionally, I will share an expressive arts oriented therapy process with a young girl who was sexually abused. This will help us understand the power of the arts and body in healing trauma.

Readings:
Foundations: chapters 10, and 11
Principles: Review chapter 2 part I on de-centering

Arts Assignment:
Continue to explore movement and dance combined with another modality in relationship to trauma.

 

  • February 26th

Exploring Group Life Through Music-making

Check through the arts assignment and through readings.

The Power of Play:
In this class, we will discuss the power of play, the creative process and the potentials of an image. There will be integrative arts experiential group process to help illuminate these concepts.
Creating group life with EXA
In an experiential EXA process, we will explore the life of our group through the arts. 
Using this experience, we will delve into the interplay of group dynamics and EXA. In addition, this experience will allow us to start to understand what each modality gives us creatively, therapeutically and spiritually.

 

Reading Assignment:
Foundations: 14
Arts Assignment: Using the imaginal language arts, write a poetic piece or story or myth about what you explored in class today. You may want to combine your poetic piece with another modality to explore it more fully.

Arts Assignment:
Choose from the handouts provided or create an integrated arts process to explore a dream, a life dilemma or to explore the power of play in healing.

Final Arts Assignment: Prepare your presentation for 3/13. See assignments section for more information

9-10. March 13th, Saturday 10 AM- 6 PM

Check through the arts assignment and through readings.

Final Class:
Students will present their final arts project. Each student will have 10-20 minutes (depending on the size of the class) to present.  We will discuss how to approach your final papers and ideas for further training and development in EXA as well as IEATA.

Students are encouraged to bring questions and examples from their own work. We will have experiential dyad work on how to use the arts individually. Examples will be explored on how to bring out the artist within in EXA work.

 

Community Closing Arts Ritual created by class. We will close with arts based closing ritual created by the class.

Class Assignments:

  • Arts and Written Assignments:

Weekly  Experiential Art Assignment
In order to keep you close to your creative process, each week you will work with one or more art modality at home/outside of class as assigned each week (see weekly assignments) This is called an artistic response.  Please keep the power of play alive.  For example, you paint, draw, work with clay, collage, dance, make music, sing, create poetry or write creatively, enact an image, dream or character, role-play or some combination of the arts modality.  You may also want to create an artistic response to the class material, readings or your own life issues. Each week suggestions are made for this arts process. Feel free to explore more arts than assigned or to change the arts process suggested if your muses take you elsewhere.

Preparation of your arts journal:
In your arts journal, you will have two entries per modality. The first entry will be a description of the art piece itself. This is called the phenomenon of the image. This paragraph should contain a representation of the art itself (written, audio, video, photo or drawing: any form that will give a glimpse of the image itself). You will also write a second paragraph on your reflections of this image, what it means to you and what associations you have to this image. This is called symbolic function, symbolic meaning or the potentials of the image.

 

Please submit weekly your one  page written arts journal. YOU WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS IN CLASS DURING THE CHECK IN TIME.

 This journal submission will have two parts:

1.The actual arts images (the phenomena of the image) created which you will submit with your journal-- with photos of images, audio or video presentations and/or description (paragraph one) as well as
2. Paragraph two: your reflections on these images. This is called the symbolic meaning or function of the image. What does it say or mean to you?

Remember there are seven arts assignments and you will have a submission for each: seven in total. Each submission will have two paragraphs as described above. Your Journal can be a creative reflection of your process in this class. So have fun with this as you follow the guidelines.

 

Final Arts Project
During the semester you have been working with the arts and your own creative process. On March 13th,  each person will have 10-20 minutes (depending on the size of the class) to present an art piece that represents you creatively and artistically. One could present one modality or a weaving of modalities.   This can be a separate piece from the weekly art work. More details will be presented class.

Or:

One could present an EXA case study from their practicum or work. In this option, we will focus on your creative process as healer and the choices and decisions you made in guiding this work.

 

Final art projects will be presented in class on March 13th  in  class.

 

Final Reflection Paper
This will be submitted two weeks after your final arts presentation. In this paper, use reflections from the readings, class discussions, plus the feedback from the class on March 13th. Write a five –eight page paper about your understanding of your arts process, your creative process and how this relates to the field of expressive arts therapy. Include in this, how you might imagine using expressive arts therapy in your personal and professional life.

Or:

If you presented your EXA work with another, this would be a reflection of your creative process as a therapist, discussion of your choices of modalities, and how you wove the arts together and what you learned about the arts and this person from this experience.

Due: March 30th  or before.  You can either place in my box on the 4th floor or mail to my office:

57 Post Street, Ste. 602, SF, CA 94104

 

Suggested Readings:

     Arieti, S. (1976) Creativity: The Magic Synthesis, New York: Basic Books

     Edwards, B.  (1979) Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, Los Angeles:
J.P. Tarcher, Inc.

Edwards, B.  (1986) Drawing on the Artist Within, New York: Simon and Schuster

Goleman, D., Kaufman, P., and Ray, M.  (1992) The Creative Spirit,
New York: plume Books 

Ghiselen, B. (ed.)  (1952) The Creative Process, Berkeley, CA: University of California Press

     Haley, J.  (1986) Uncommon Therapy: The Psychiatric Techniques of Milton
H. Erickson, M.D., New York: Will Norton & Co.

  
Hopcke, R.H.  (1992) A Guided Tour of the Collected Works of C.G. Jung,
Boston: Shambhala Books

     Hyde, L.  (1983) The Gift: Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property,
New York: Grove Press

     Jaffe, A. (ed.) (1979) C. G. Jung: Word and Image, Princeton, NJ: Princeton
University Press

     Jaffe, A.  (1984) The Myth of Meaning in the Work of C.G. Jung, Zurich,
Switzerland:  Daimon

     Jung, C.G.  (1933) Modern Man in Search of a Soul, New York: Harcourt
Brace - World, Inc.

     Khalighi, D.H.  (1990) The Creative Expression Method, (through author)

Leonard, L.S.  (1990) Witness to the Fire: Creativity and the Veil of Addiction,
Boston: Shambhala Books

     Levine, S.K. (1992) Poiesis, Toronto, Canada: Palmerston Press

     May, R.  (1975) The Courage to Create, New York: W.W. Norton

     Menakak, S.  (1982) Otto Rank: A Rediscovered Legacy, New York:
Columbia University Press

     Miller, A.  (1990) The Untouched Key: Tracking Childhood Trauma in
Creativity and Destructiveness, New York: Boston Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.

     Moustakas, C.  (1967) Creativity and Conformity, New York: Van Nostrand
and Reinhold Company
Neuman, E.  (1979) Creative Man, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press

Neuman, E.  (1959) Art and the Creative Unconscious, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press

O' Brien, M. and Little, C. Leds  (1988) Reimaging America: The Arts of Social   Change, Philadelphia, PA: New Society Publishers

Rank, O.  (1932) Art and the Artist: The Creative Urge and Personality Development, New York: W.W. Norton & Company

Robbins, LB  (1985) Waking Up in the Age of Creativity, Santa Fe, N.M.: Bear and Co. Books

Rothenberg, A.  (1988) The Creative Process of Psychotherapy, New York: W.W. Norton and Company

Shlain, L.  (1991) Arts and Physics, New York: William Morrow and Co., Inc.

Van Dech, R.  (1971) A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative, New York: Warner Books

Winnicott, D.W.  (1971) Playing and Reality, New York: Harmondsworth

Willings, D.  (1986) The Creatively Gifted, Columbus, Ohio: Ohio Psychology Publishing Company

 

<<back to Academic Courses