Art Heals

The field of art therapy is discovering that artistic expression can be a powerful means of personal transformation and emotional and spiritual healing. In this book, Shaun McNiff, a leader in expressive arts therapy for more than three decades, reflects on a wide spectrum of activities aimed at reviving art's traditional healing function. In chapters ranging from "e;Liberating Creativity"e; and "e;The Practice of Creativity in the Workplace"e; to "e;From Shamanism to Art Therapy,"e; he illuminates some of the most progressive views in the rapidly expanding field of art therapy:*; The "e;practice of imagination"e; as a powerful force for transformation*; A challenge to literal-minded psychological interpretations of artworks ("e;black colors indicate depression"e;) and the principle that even disturbing images have inherent healing properties*; The role of the therapist in promoting an environment conducive to free expression and therapeutic energies*; The healing effects of group work, with people creating alongside one another and interacting in the studio*; "e;Total expression,"e; combining arts such as movement, storytelling, and drumming with painting and drawing