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Art therapy, writing-images and memory drawing

This course is intended for qualified art therapists, art therapy students, and other qualified creative therapists from around the world.

Through art making, sharing, supervision, discussions, reading, studying, and lectures the participants will gain knowledge about methods and theories of art educational therapy which includes the application of writing-images and memory-drawing. The course is for those who wish to include memory drawing and writing-images into their art therapy practices.

Timing (Greenwich Mean Time):

11 November kl 11.00 - 14.00
25 November kl 11.00 - 14.00
9 December kl 11.00 - 14.00
6 January kl 11.00 - 14.00
20 January kl 11.00 - 14.00
3 February kl 11.00 - 14.00

Art therapy and memory drawing

This course is open to qualified Art Therapists and Art Therapy Trainees. Participants will gain knowledge about the basis of the methods and theories of memory drawing, which aids individuals in better memorising various facts related to their coursework learning. Memory drawing also facilitates processing of emotions in the same way as the art-making process functions within art therapy.

Quantitative research which shows that memory drawing is an effective long-term memory aid will be introduced at the course, along with a qualitative case study that demonstrates the way in which memory drawing can simultaneously facilitate coursework learning and processing of emotions. The way in which memory drawing can be applied has implications and recommendations for professionals working in education, including art therapists who work in educational settings, as therapy and education are integrated within such memory drawing.

Through art making, sharing, discussions and lectures, the participants will gain knowledge about the basis of the methods and theories of Memory Drawing. Such drawing aids individuals in better memorising various facts related to their studies. Quantitative research conducted by Ottarsdottir showed that over long time periods, it is generally five times easier to recall drawn images of word content than written words. Along with aiding memory retention, memory drawing facilitates processing of emotions and difficult experiences in a similar way as the art-making process functions within art therapy which will be explained in the course.

Reference image: Ottarsdottir, U. (2019) Ethical Concern when Applying Drawing for Memory: Research Conducted in Iceland. In: Audrey Di Maria (Ed.). Exploring Ethical Dilemmas in Art Therapy (pp. 266-272). New York: Routledge.

The workshop is a continuation of Introductory Lecture II: Art Educational Therapy and Writing-Images. Participants are invited to take part in a creative project and thereby acquire experience of art educational therapy and the possibilities provided by the method. Participants must already have acquired some understanding of art therapy and art educational therapy by attending lecture(s) and/or foundation courses on art therapy and art educational therapy, such as Introductory Lectures I and II: What is Art Educational Therapy? and Art Educational Therapy and Writing-Images.

In the art educational therapy (AET) research project introduced in this course, coursework is integrated into art therapy with the aim of facilitating emotional well-being and coursework learning. Theories concerning “writing-images”, which emerged in the study are introduced. The concept “writing-images” refers to drawn images of alphabetical letters and numbers, which form part of the methods of art educational therapy.

During a specific developmental phase, many children draw letter shapes before they develop knowledge about phonetics and symbols that make up the letters of the alphabet. This period is called the “writing-images stage”. Ways to work with “writing-images” with the goal of restoring, strengthening and preserving the educational foundation that was formed during the writing-images stage are presented in the course. Simultaneously, emotional expression through art making is observed through the prism of art therapy. In the course, an emphasis is placed on the importance of paying attention to children’s writing-images. The practical aspects of writing-images with regard to therapy and education are also discussed.

Participants are invited to take part in a creative project and thereby acquire experience of art educational therapy and the possibilities provided by the method.

Art Therapy in Education

The course offers participants insight into the basic theories and methods of art therapy by means of lectures, reading, written assignments, discussions and workshops, where participants experience the creative process and the possibilities it offers. Knowledge of one’s own artistic imagery increases self-awareness and the ability to help individuals in need. A number of ways of creating artwork will be introduced in the course, with the aim of increasing creativity, strengthening identity, fostering communication, increasing self-awareness and facilitating well-being. Ways in which art therapy can be implemented in educational contexts will also be introduced in the course.

The concept of “writing-images”, which refers to the process of drawing images of letters and numbers, will be reviewed in the course. The “writing-image stage”, which describes a phase when children experiment with drawing writing-images, will be introduced. Methods of drawing writing-images with the aim of restoring, strengthening and preserving an educational base will be presented at the course.

Who is the course for?

The course is intended for those who are interested in art therapy, such as individuals who would like to study and work with art therapy on a professional level. The course is also useful for professionals who seek to expand their understanding of their own and their clients’ art making with the aim of facilitating well-being and self-awareness. The course is well suited for individuals who work within the educational system. Prior knowledge is required, for example attendance at the course Art Therapy in Education I.

Further Information

The course is held for example at the Art Education Department at the Iceland University of the Arts. For further information please contact us via email: unnur@unnurarttherapy.is or contact the Art Education Department at the Iceland University of the Arts.

Art Therapy in educational contexts

The course offers participants insight into the basic theories and methods of art therapy by means of lectures, reading, written assignments, discussions and workshops, where participants experience the creative process and the possibilities it offers. The course presents a number of ways of art making that increase creativity, strengthen identity, foster communication, increase self-awareness and facilitate well-being. Knowledge of one’s own art-making increases self-awareness and provides ability to help individuals in need. Ways in which art therapy can be implemented in educational contexts will be introduced in the course. No prior knowledge or experience of art is required to participate.

Who is the course for?

The course is intended for those who are interested in art therapy, such as individuals who would like to study and work with art therapy on a professional level. The course is also useful for professionals who seek to expand their understanding of their own and their clients’/students’ art making, with the aim of facilitating well-being and personal development. The course is well suited for individuals who work within an educational context.

Further Information

The course is held for example at the Art Education Department at the Iceland University of the Arts. For further information please contact us via email: unnur@unnurarttherapy.is or via the Art Education Department at the Iceland University of the Arts.

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