The inquiry explored the art therapy experience of two adolescents, Autumn (pseudonym) and Winter (pseudonym), who found it hard to suppress and express their emotions, led by a researcher as an art therapist. The therapist not only assisted them in d...
The inquiry explored the art therapy experience of two adolescents, Autumn (pseudonym) and Winter (pseudonym), who found it hard to suppress and express their emotions, led by a researcher as an art therapist. The therapist not only assisted them in depicting their emotionally frozen feelings through image work and enabling them to express their emotions freely but also purposed to discover their inner selves and creativity through the therapeutic process. For this purpose, the study began by asking inquiry questions: first, what did the two adolescents and the art therapist experience in the therapy?; second, what was the significance of art therapy for both of them?; and third, what was the value of this inquiry?
The researcher adopted a narrative inquiry method by Clandinin and Connelly to effectively uncover the therapy experiences.
The study involved two adolescents, Autumn and Winter, experiencing adolescence while attending elementary school—Autumn in the fifth and Winter in the fourth grade. From June to December 2022, the therapist conducted 24 sessions lasting 60 minutes over approximately six months and performed in-depth interviews.
As a result, the therapy experience of Autumn unveiled feelings of "Needing a protective mother," "Turmoil and confusion due to comparison," "Desire for acknowledgment," "Art was spring to me," and "The horror was gone" and Winter unfolded themes of "Anxiety about the mother," "Image work calmed my anxiety," "Seeking safety through images from memory," and "Discovering inner strength."
Feelings of disappointment from their parents and existential crises significantly impacted both adolescents. Through art therapy, Autumn and Winter encountered new emotions and thoughts, expressing their stories through artwork. The therapist understood their feelings and inner worlds through their artwork, guiding them toward the warmth and freedom in spring. Through these experiences, Autumn and Winter gained confidence in accepting and expressing their emotions, showcasing their creativity, and experiencing personal growth.
The experience of the two adolescents produced the following meanings: Firstly, the image work lighted their sense of existence and revealed their inner selves. Secondly, art served as a bridge between fantasy and the world. Thirdly, they discovered the value of existence amidst pain.
Based on these findings, the implications of this inquiry were as follows: Firstly, art therapy provided Autumn and Winter with a safe space to express their sense of existence and emotions through image work and emotional stability by visually expressing emotions. Secondly, art and imagery became tools for communication between the adolescents' fantasy and the world, fostering therapeutic empathy through sharing images and transcending time and space. Thirdly, their art therapy helped them discover the value of existence amidst pain and understand the meaning of life. Through the experience, the adolescents confirmed the genuine role of the family, established effective communication with their parents, and discovered the meaning of life through expressing emotional desires and creativity in art. Consequently, it confirmed that art therapy was a practical method for adolescents' emotional expression, relationship formation, and self-development.
In their art therapy, both adolescents experienced freedom from their false selves and got an opportunity to be mature. Consequently, it confirmed that art therapy was a practical method for adolescents' emotional expression, relationship formation, and self-development. In their art therapy, both adolescents experienced freedom from their false selves and got an opportunity to be mature.