The Role of Gratitude in Expressive Arts Therapy Interventions

Teresa Traylor

Deondra Benson

Fall 2012

CG: 502

Dr. Gregory Pollock

John Carroll University

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Reflect on your present blessings, on which every man has many, not

on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.

—Charles Dickens (M. Dickens, 1897, p. 45)

Although people generally

recover from stressful experiences over time on their own, psychological problems such

as depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and other mental health problems frequently

develop as a result (Bryant, 2010).

The Impact:

Mental health problems are associated with substance use, and poorer academic, employment and other social outcomes (Eisenberg, Golberstein, & Gollust, 2007).

Congruent with the conventional medical model, we understand survival, resiliency and treatment but have far less knowledge pertaining to prevention and ways that how people remain healthy in spite of stress (Gable & Haidt, 2005; Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000).

The humanistic perspective states that

it is necessary that we move away from a medical model of treatment.

It is necessary to note that mental health, is not merely the absence of disorders... being mentally healthy refers to successful functioning, having fulfilling relationships, and having the ability to adapt and cope with adversity (DHHS, 1999).

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Positive psychology seeks to go beyond addressing problems, and focuses on the factors related to living a full and satisfied life (Seligman, Parks & Steen, 2004).

Positive psychology advocates for the use of brief and simple strategies individuals

can use on their own to enhance well-being and decrease mental health symptoms.

Preventive strategies are a way of addressing mental health concerns for those who do not

access care with a risk management focus. Primary intervention strategies reduce the incidences of disorders and increase functioning of individuals.

Interventions that cultivate positive emotions may be one way to treat and prevent mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and stress-related health symptoms (Fredrickson, 2000). It furthermore reduces the cost associated with mental health care.

Person-Centered Expressive Arts Therapy

Expressive Arts Therapy

Major Contributor

Natalie Rogers

Requires:

• Acceptance of the individual

• A nonjudgmental setting

• Empathy

• Psychological freedom

• Availability of stimulating and challenging

experiences

(Corey, 2013)

Expressive Arts Therapy:

•Person-Centered approach to spontaneous creative expression

•Used to enhance personal growth for individuals and groups. (Cory 2013)

•Allows Symbolism of deep and inaccessible feelings and emotional states

•Allows clients to create movement, visual art, journal writing, sound, and music to express their feelings and to gain insight

(Corey, 2013)

•Fosters a facilitative client-counselor relationship helps support creativity

•Individuals need proper environment for self- healing through creativity

•Individuals need support, trust, and appreciation to make the experience

•Requires acceptance of the individual, a nonjudgmental setting, empathy, psychological freedom, and availability of stimulating and challenging experiences

(Corey, 2013)

•Self-awareness, understanding, and insight are achieved by delving into our feelings of grief, anger, pain, joy and, ecstasy.

•Our feelings and emotions are an energy source that can be channeled into the expressive arts to be released and transformed.

•The expressive arts lead us into the unconscious, thereby enabling us to express previously unknown facets of ourselves and bring to light new information and awareness

•One art form stimulates and nurtures the other, bringing us to an inner core or essence that is our life

•A connection exist between our life force (our inner core or soul) and the essence of all beings

•As we journey inward to discover our essence or wholeness, we discover our relatedness to the outer world and the inner and outer becomes one

(Corey, 2013)

Gratitude

What is Gratitude

Latin word, gratia (meaning favor) and gratus (meaning pleasing), “…close association with unmerited favor”

A virtue

An emotional state

A human strength that enhances one’s personal and relational well-being and is beneficial for society as a whole

Gratitude is experienced as a sense of thankfulness, wonder, and appreciation. It can be assumed intrapersonally or given interpersonally.

The Cherokee legend about life…

The fight within us all…

Between

fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego

And

Joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, gratitude, and faith.

Which one do we “feed”?

Interventions

The role of Gratitude in

Expressive Arts Therapy

Mental Health

Stress - a normal and inevitable part of the human experience, can be provoked by

an event or internal experience affecting both mind and body.

Use Visual Reminders

Keep a Gratitude Journal

Change Your Language

Go Through

the Motions

Remembering the Bad

Made a daily list of things for which they were grateful

Group Three:

Group Two:

Recorded only unpleasant experiences

(McCullough et. Al.)

Split several hundred people into three different groups and all of the participants were asked to keep daily diaries.

Group One:

Kept a diary of the events that occurred during the day without being told specifically to write about either good or bad things