THE PROCESS OF CHANGE THROUGH ART-THERAPY ACTIVITIES IN CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIOURAL DISORDERS

 

Zuzana Tulák Krcmáriková¹, Pavol Janoško²

¹Dr, Faculty of Education, Comenius University, Bratislava, SLOVAKIA, tulak@fedu.uniba.sk

²Dr., Faculty of Education, Comenius University, Bratislava, SLOVAKIA, janosko@fedu.uniba.sk

Abstract

The article focuses on the presentation of the aspects of specific art-therapy activities supporting the process of self-reflection and the process of change. Art therapy, as one of the expressive therapeutic concepts in psychotherapy as well as therapeutic education, has the possibilities of complex, systematic influence of individuals in their bio-psycho-socio-spiritual unity. From the beginning of their lives, each person presents a unique and complex human being capable of self-expression, development and change. In difficult situations in a person’s life, verbal expression may not be the most suitable means of help. For therapeutic education, the property of the artistic media to promote positive transformation processes is significant. Art and art-based activities become communication means that enable a person to receive information about and to explore their own possibilities and resources to manage the current life situation. Art therapy is based on the use of artistic metaphors, images and visual symbols, as well as artistic materials. Therefore, art therapy acts on multi-sensorial levels, interferes with several sensory paths in both receptive and active expressive form. The authors explored these qualities of art therapy in a qualitative analysis of art therapy techniques, providing examples from their practice in a form of research vignettes and connecting them to the theory of art therapy, art therapy materials with a specific focus on working with multi-sensory qualities in the context of therapeutic education. The paper is a partial outcome of the project VEGA 1/0598/17 Evaluation of The Effective Factors of Multisensory Approaches in Therapeutic Education.

Keywords: process of change, art-therapy activities, sensory perception