The Handbook of Art Therapy

Art therapy is now an established profession in its own right and its practitioners have to undergo a rigorous course of training. This handbook is designed to appeal to people thinking of becoming therapists and to all who need to know about art therapy in different settings. It concentrates on what art therapists actually do, where they practice, and how and why art therapy can combine to aid a person's search for health and understanding of their underlying problems. The authors, who are both experienced in teaching and practising art therapy, build up a picture for the reader of the development of the profession to its present status. Using first-hand accounts of the experience of art therapy from both therapists and patients, they cover such aspects as the influence of psychodynamic thinking, the role of the image in the art process, and the setting in which the art therapist works. They also focus on art therapists themselves, their practice, background and training. A select bibliography gives an excellent idea of the current literature on art therapy and related subjects, and there is a glossary of psychoanalytic terms. Straightforward and firmly rooted in practice, The Handbook of Art Therapy will be invaluable not only as an introduction to the profession but also as a reference for students of art therapy both during and after training.