Course Syllabus:
The Practice of Expressive Arts Therapy

California Institute of Integral Studies

EXA 5600: 1 Unit (exa5600-3.doc)
Fall Semester, 2005
Section 3

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: desiree@bumpintheroad.net

DESCRIPTION OF COURSE CONTENT:

The Expressive Arts Therapist must have an understanding of creative arts modalities, the creative process, and the idea of multi-modal theories in order to develop a skilled flair for weaving the arts into a healing tapestry. By first introducing the individual creative arts modalities, this course focuses on introducing the Expressive Arts approaches, paradigms, and theoretical concepts that aid in developing multi-modal fluency. Through personal process, discussion, and readings, Expressive Arts approaches will be demonstrated, compared, and contrasted. Additional readings and class presentations will address the key issues cited above.

PREREQUISITES: MA Students Only Class size: 10

SUMMARY OF EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE:

The experienced EXA therapist must become familiar with the rich world of EXA approaches, theories, and multi-modal paradigms for the weaving of creative arts modalities into a healing process for their clients. In addition, familiarity with the creative process and its links with the therapeutic process and spiritual emergence must be a part of an EXA therapist's repertoire. With this grounding, the new therapist can then develop her own EXA approaches that will address the issues and needs of her clients, both individually and in groups.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Participants will:
1. Experience various Expressive Arts approaches.
2. Develop a theoretical understanding of these various approaches.
3. Begin to understand the ways to weave arts modalities.
4. Be introduced to paradigms that will aid in comparing and contrasting modalities.

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:

1. 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%

2. Completion reading and writing assignment: There is one written assignment. Please submit on due date, unless there is a compelling reason. 30%

3. Completion of arts projects: There are two arts projects. Please submit on due date, unless there is a compelling reason. 30%

Required Readings :

1. Knill, P.J., Barba, H.N. and Fuchs, M. N. (1995) Minstrels of Soul: Intermodal Expressive Arts Therapy. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Palmerston Press.
2. Levine, S., and Levine, E. (eds.). (1999). The Foundations of Expressive Arts Therapy. Philadelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Strongly Suggested:

1. Lewis, P. (1993). Creative Transformation: The Healing Power of the Arts.
Wilmette, Illinois: Chiron Publications. (Purchased for Sanjen’s class)
2. McNiff, S, (1987). The Arts and Psychotherapy. Springfield, Illinois: Charles, C. Thomas.
3. Levy, F. (1995). Dance and Other Expressive Art Therapies. Routledge: New York.

Class Assignments:

I. Written Assignment:
Interview an Expressive Arts Therapist and discuss his/her approach. Integrate the class experiences, discussions, and readings in your discussion. Include these various themes both during the interview with the EXA therapist, and when presenting your thoughts on their work:
1. Background and training as an EXA therapist.
2. Her/His definition of EXA.
3. Modalities used.
4. Weaving of modalities.
5. Current work as EXA therapist.
6. Recommendations to future EXA therapists in terms of
training, experience and personal process.

After your experience, write an integrative paper weaving the therapist’s responses, your impressions, class readings and discussions into a reflective paper about the practice of EXA.
Suggestions for selecting an interview therapist:
Before reviewing binder ask yourself these questions about the type of therapist you would like to interview:
-What is the Orientation I am most interested in learning about?
- What Modalities am I the most interested in understanding in terms of the practice of EXA?
- What Issues am I the most interested in exploring?
- Am I interested in her/his Approach to EXA?

Be sure to have 3-5 names to call as scheduling and location may determine who is the actual person you interview.
Please attempt to form groups for the interviews if you are interviewing the same therapist.

Paper: pages: 5-10 pages typed, double-spaced and please include references to readings and class discussion in the text of the paper. I like to include your interviews in our binders for other students who might want to learn more about this therapist. If you feel comfortable with this, please submit two copies. Thanks you!
Due: November 18th in class
• Kate will assist you in locating an Expressive Arts Therapist for your interview.
• There are two binders in the EXA office: one for supervisors and one for therapists. These two binders will help you with your selection.
• Our staff can point them out to you.

II. Arts Project:
A. 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. This is called an expressive artistic response. Please keep the power of play alive. For example, you paint, draw, work with clay, colleague, 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. Write a paragraph(s) describing your process each week.
This paragraph or two should contain a representation of the art itself (written, audio, video) and your reflections of its symbolic function for you (see potentials of the image for guidance).
Please submit a three page written summary of your arts project with photos of images, audio or video presentations and /or description in class on October 21st

B. Using any modality or weaving of modalities, create an image of yourself as an expressive arts therapist or your image of the field of EXA. You will share this in class on November 18th. Each person will have 2 minutes to present this arts project and 2 minutes for a class response. You total time is 5 minutes.
Guidelines for the arts presentation:
Let it flow from your work in the class and your arts journal.
Pick favorite modality or a combination to explore one of these themes:
Self as EXA therapist
Image of the field on the whole
What you might like to pursue with EXA (e.g. ecology, diversity, gender issues, trauma, body issues)
Actual presentation is only 2 minutes—change from syllabus and 2 minutes for group feedback. You will select a timer. It will be 5 minutes total per person
Please have a one-page description of your presentation to give to Kate as summary and reflection of your work.

Due: November 18th in class. Give Kate a copy of the arts piece or a description of your piece after you present.

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Course Syllabus: The Practice of Expressive Arts Therapy