Using Art Therapy with Diverse Populations

Book excerpt: Whether working in urban areas with high levels of cultural diversity, providing art therapy to 'unique' populations such as prisoners or asylums seekers, or introducing art therapy programs to parts of the world in which it is not yet established, it is essential that therapists understand the importance of practicing in a culturally sensitive manner. This comprehensive book considers how culture impacts the practice of art therapy in a variety of settings. With contributions from experienced art therapists who have worked in diverse environments, this book attempts to understand and highlight the specific cultural, subcultural and ethnic influences that inform art therapy treatment. It addresses variable factors including setting, population, environment and ability, and how they influence art therapy approaches. It also considers how cultural differences can impact physical art making through choices of color, symbol and metaphor. Each chapter provides a framework showing how art therapy techniques have been used in order to successfully work with distinct populations. This book will provide practitioners with ideas for how to adapt art therapy training and approaches to suit the setting and meet the needs of a vast range of populations. Full of informative case studies, this book will be invaluable reading for art therapists and students of art therapy.