Drawing Involves Caring: Fostering Relationship Building Through Art Therapy for Social Change

Abstract

The art therapist's ability to foster the creative process in service of relationship can be a foundation for infusing a social change paradigm into existing practice. For clients affected by discrimination and stigma, art therapy can promote empathy and understanding of the societal forces involved. In this qualitative study, 46 people participated in a guided viewing experience of artworks by individuals who were living with mental illnesses. After providing data on their familiarity with mental illnesses, their attitudes, and their level of empathy, viewers created an art image in response to an exhibiting artist and participated in a discussion. Results indicated that the facilitated experience helped to foster empathy, allowed viewers to relate to the exhibiting artists, and promoted attitudinal change. By facilitating meaningful art-viewing and art-making experiences art therapists can attend both to individuals in need and to community structures that hamper full participation in society.

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