Course Syllabus:
The Practice of Expressive Arts Therapy

California Institute of Integral Studies

THE PRACTICE OF EXPRESSIVE ARTS THERAPY
EXA 5600: 1 Unit
Fall Semester, 2008
Section 1

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 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, cross-culturally with individuals and 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.
5. Understand EXA applications to diverse cultural groups and individuals
and
6. Understand EXA applications to various levels of wounding and potentials

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.
3. Donohue Selected Readings

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.
4. Malchiodi, C. A. (ed.) (2005). Expressive Therapies. New York: The Guilford Press
5. Knill, P.J., Levine, E.G., and Levine, S.K. (2005). Principles and Practice of Expressive Arts Therapy. . Philadelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

DATES, LOCATIONS, THEME AND READINGS:

All classes are scheduled for Friday at 3:00-6:00 PM

1. August 22nd, Friday

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.

• Introduction to the three realms of consciousness in EXA.
• Contrast and comparison of the various creative arts modalities.
• Discussion of two Arts projects and final paper.

Readings and Assignment for our next class:
1. Levine: Introduction and chapter 13
Knill: Introduction and Part 1
Selected Readings: given in class

2. Arts assignment: following the guidelines in the assignment section, create two pieces:
a. one using visual art and
b. one using poetic utterances or creative writing

2. August 29th, Friday
We will begin to explore the various ways EXA can be used in clinical practice. Starting with a focus on structure and direction, we will view applications of EXA to Trauma work. Using a video created by Melinda Meyer, we will see an application of EXA in working with prisoners of war. This will also help us investigate Cross-Cultural issues in EXA.
Discussion of Interview Assignment and Arts Project.

Readings and Assignment for our next class:
1. Levine, Chapters 2,7 and 13, and Knill Part 2.
2. Arts Assignment: Create two pieces:
a. one with movement/ dance and
b. the second with music

3. September 5th
In this class, we will investigate Flow/Process-oriented approaches to EXA through experiential process, class discussion and class demonstration. This process will focus on how to use EXA for creative growth as well as healing. This process will help us:
Contrast and compare these approaches in EXA and learn an embodied understanding of Knill's key concepts in EXA.

We will also discuss the final arts assignment, which will be presented in the final class.

Readings and Assignment for next class:
1. Knill: Part 3 and Levine: chapters 3, 6 and 9
2. Arts Assignment: Create with drama

Preparation of your arts journal to submit in class
Preparation for overview of all the arts modalities: re-read Knill part 1 and read all the handouts distributed on each arts modality. Bring your journal and all these materials to class for an interactive class discussion

4. September 12th
First Arts Project is presented in class today

Introduction to the dimensions of EXA:
Using your journals, Knill-part 1 and all the individual arts handouts, we will explore what is unique about each modality. Working in small groups each is assigned a different art modality and using the new handouts provided, we will begin to define the phenomenological, social and therapeutic aspects of each modality. This will help us compare and contrast each modality and help give foundation for weaving arts modalities into integrated expressive arts processes.

We will also discuss how to approach the interview process for the final paper.

Please note the hiatus so that you can interview, write your reflective interview (written assignment #1) and prepare your arts project (arts assignment #2).

Readings and Assignment for our next class:
1. Knill: part 4 and Levine: chapters 8., 9, 10 and 14
2. EXA Therapist Interview
3. Reflective Arts Project

5. October 14th, Friday
Final Class:
During this class, each person will present a two-minute arts piece of their view of EXA and/or their budding concept of themselves as EXA therapists. See Arts Assignment #2 for more details. We will also discuss our interviews and learn about more approaches to the practice of EXA.

Class Assignments:

I. Written Assignment #1:
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 the actual person you interview. Please attempt to form groups for the interviews if you are interviewing the same therapist.
Please note:

• Kate will assist you in locating an Expressive Arts Therapist for your interview.
• There are binders in the EXA office: one for supervisors and four for therapists (separated by geography). These binders will help you with your selection.
• Our staff can point them out to you.

Paper: 5-10 pages typed, double-spaced and please include references to readings and class discussion in the text of the paper. Please USE APA REFERENCE STYLE. (YOU CAN FIND THIS IN THE STUDENT MANUAL AND IN THE APA REFERENCE MANUAL). I’d 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. Thank you!
Due: October 14th in class

II. Arts Assignment #1

Arts Journal: 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, 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 sequence or flow of arts process suggested if your muses take you elsewhere. But please have one experience with each art modality if you change the flow of the assignment.
The following weeks you will focus on these art modalities:

August 22nd:
1. Visual Arts: your assignment is to use the clay provided to create an image of Temenos. Play with the clay, meditate on Temenos and see what your hands, unconscious create.
2. Imaginal Language Arts: your choice of the process. Use the handouts provided for ideas

August 29th:
1. Movement/Dance: free choice
2. Music/Sound: free choice. You will be given a suggestion for reflective music process. Please use this idea if it is helpful. Otherwise pick your own process within the music category.

September 5th
1. Drama: free choice

September 12th.
Arts Journal is due in class. The following will help you create your journal.

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 your five page written arts journal (already created if you completed the assignment each week) with photos of images, audio or video presentations and/or description (paragraph one) as well as your one-paragraph reflections (paragraph two). Remember there are five modalities and you will have a submission for each: five 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.
Due: September 12th in class

III. Arts Assignment #2 (Reflective Arts Presentation):

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 October 14th. 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:
o Self as EXA therapist
o Image of the field on the whole
o What you might like to pursue with EXA (e.g. ecology, diversity, gender issues, trauma, body issues)
• Actual presentation is only 2 minutes with 2 minutes for group feedback. You will select a timer to help with Father Time. You will have 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: October 14th in class. Give Kate a copy of the arts piece or a description of your piece before you present.

top

Course Syllabus: The Practice of Expressive Arts Therapy

LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION:

REQUIRED READINGS:

DATES, LOCATIONS, THEME AND READINGS:

Suggested Readings:

Course Syllabus:
The Practice of Expressive Arts Therapy