Using ATC in the classroom

Started teach the Human Relations class last night. Have ten art therapy graduate students who are learning the basics, this term, of therapeutic relationships. Had them start art therapy cards using collage.  They were asked to create two. One that describes each of them today, one that presents who they want to be after they complete their graduate degree and begin their career as art therapists. They will write a journal/reflection page for each of the cards and give me a color copy of their two journal pages with the associated card.  We will practice basic relationship building behaviors as we process the cards in the next class.
We are building a safe container/homeroom place in this course/classroom. I drew a picture of a container, a caldron, on the board with the word "welcome" on it. I asked them what this represents. They said: "a container". I talked to them about this class being a place they can be contained within. I drew a flame below the pot and talked about how the process of becoming a therapist will "cook" them until they are done.  I told them a joke: "We put you in the pot and then add all the necessary ingredients, then you will be cooked and turn out delicious".  Talking about the transformation process from artist to art therapist.  All the ingredients are the experiences and skills that will be added to and drawn from them in the next year.

Working on ATC book

Bird Games



This site is an out on the skinny branches sort of step towards finishing my book about creating and utilizing playing card sized works of art for personal and/or therapeutic process work.