|
|
The Expressive Arts programs of THE IDENTITY QUEST echo the philosophical, psychological, and spiritual principles stated below by Natalie Rogers.
PERSON-CENTERED
EXPRESSIVE ARTS HEALING
By Natalie Rogers
Copyright by Natalie Rogers
(This is an adaptation from
The Creative Connection: Expressive Arts as Healing,
Science & Behavior Books, Palo Alto, CA 1993)
Principles
"Since not all psychologists agree with the principles embodied in Expressive Arts therapy, it
seems important to state them clearly as the foundation of this process of healing and discovery:
• All people have an innate ability to be creative.
• The creative process is healing. The expressive product supplies important messages to the
individual. However, it is the process of creation that is profoundly transformative.
• Personal growth and higher states of consciousness are achieved through self-awareness,
self-understanding, and insight.
• Self-awareness, understanding, and insight are achieved by delving into our emotions.
The feelings of grief, anger, pain, fear, joy, and ecstasy are the tunnel through which we
must pass to get to the other side—to self-awareness, understanding, and wholeness.
• Our feelings and emotions are an energy source. That energy can be channeled into the
expressive arts to be released and transformed.
• The expressive arts—movement, art, writing, sounding, music, meditation, and imagery—
lead us into the unconscious. This often allows us to express previously unknown facets
of ourselves, thus bringing to light new information and awareness.
• Art modes interrelate in what I call the Creative Connection®. When we move, it affects
how we write or paint. When we write or paint, it affects how we feel and think. The
Creative Connection® is a process that brings us to an inner core or essence which is our
life force energy.
• A connection exists between our life force—our inner core, or soul—and the essence of all
beings.
• Therefore, as we journey inward to discover our essence or wholeness, we discover our relatedness to the outer world. The inner and outer become one."
"My approach to therapy is also based on a person-centered theory of individual and group
process:
• Personal growth takes place in a safe, supportive environment.
• A safe, supportive environment is created by having facilitators (teachers, therapists, group
leaders, parents, colleagues) who are genuine, warm, empathic, open, honest, congruent,
and caring.
• These qualities can be learned best by first being experienced.
• A client/therapist, teacher/student, parent/child, wife/husband, or intimate-partners
relationship can be a place to experience these qualities.
• Personal integration of the intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual occurs
by taking time to reflect, critique, and evaluate these experiences."
Summary
"Personal growth and self-empowerment can be achieved through the Expressive Arts.
Our visual art is changed by our movement and body rhythm. It is also influenced when we
meditate and become receptive, allowing intuition to be active. Likewise, our movement can be influenced by our visual art and writing, and so forth.
All of the creative processes help us find our inner essence or source.
And when we find that inner source, we tap into the universal energy source,
or the collective unconscious, or the transcendental experience."
|
