The Art Materials in the Therapeutic Relationship: An Art-Based Heuristic Inquiry

In art therapy, the presence of a therapeutic alliance is a vital ingredient in creating a secure environment from which the client feels safe to create and explore with the art materials. Within the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC), it has been stipulated that further research should be conducted to include the relationship between the interactions with the art media and the therapeutic alliance. This art-based heuristic research explores the relational aspect of the ETC by engaging in weekly response art-making following individual art therapy sessions. The response art images were analyzed using the ETC Use and Therapist Self-Rating Scale (Hinz, Riccardi, Nan, & Périer, 2015), Snir and Regev's (2013) Art-Based Intervention (ABI) questionnaire as well as image dialogue in the form of witness writings. This research pointed to the value of the ETC framework in providing insight into the three components of the therapeutic relationship (art materials, art-making process, art product). Findings revealed the containing and holding aspect of media properties in helping the art therapist contain the client’s emotions and experiences, provide a safe distance to reflect on for both the client and therapist, help set physical as well as emotional, and psychological boundaries in the therapeutic setting and in the creative process, and as a form of self-care