The Expressive Arts Institute San Diego

By Amber Robinson

As our understanding of the human brain expands, we continue to learn more about how art and creativity play into that growth. Expressive Arts Therapy specifically explores the link between art and psychology.

According to www.creativewellbeings.com, expressive arts therapy first flourished in America in the early 1900’s in New York City. Margaret Naumburg and Edith Kramer are credited with its initial creation. Although both women held slightly different beliefs on how art healed, both were pioneers who dedicated their lives to building the framework for what art therapy is today.

The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) was founded in 1969. Their website defines art therapy as thus:

“Facilitated by a professional art therapist, Art Therapy effectively supports personal and relational treatment goals as well as community concerns. Art Therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensory-motor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change.”

Today, art therapy is more mainstream than ever. Many psychologists will attain an art therapy certification, integrating it into their usual therapy practice. Teachers have begun to use art therapy to calm and focus their students prior to lessons. Even our U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has integrated art therapy into their curriculum for vets healing from combat wounds or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. For those in Southern California seeking a degree or certification, the Expressive Arts Institute of San Diego, located in Liberty Station, is the place. Much of the professional art therapy happening in San Diego, started here.

Founding Director, Judith Greer Essex, PhD, established the institutein 1998. They boast California’s only fully integrated intermodal, interdisciplinary education for Expressive Arts Practitioners. Judith and her staff offer an accredited MA in Expressive Arts Therapy as well as registration in training and education for licensed professionals looking to add creative skills to their practice, as well as a certificate program in Expressive Arts Coaching.

Greer Essex earned her PhD in expressive arts therapy from the European Graduate School, in Switzerland, but started as a dance and theater major in her bachelor’s program.

“The performative arts had a profound effect on me,” said Greer Essex. “Although I had no interest in dance therapy at that time, I later became interested in the self-awareness [it produced] among its other helpful aspects.”

She went on to finish her master’s in dance/movement therapy from the University of California Los Angeles. She has worked throughout San Diego as a dance therapist in local universities as well as part of San Diego Rep’s Conservatory before founding the institute. Although her background is in dance, she works with many different mediums and “modalities”.

“I use what is called ‘intermodal expressive arts therapy’, which means I move between dance, drama, music, visual arts and expressive writing, especially poetry,” said Greer Essex.

She says she feels art therapy enhances and often reveals an individual’s strength.

“It helps develop a positive approach to life,” said Greer Essex “It helps develop a positive imagination, causing you to think, ‘What wonderful thing might happen?’ instead of ‘What terrible thing might happen?”

Greer Essex says the use of art as a way to express one’s self and find balance in everyday life is always beneficial.

But, she says she would not call this “therapy”, given the goal of therapy is to have someone bear witness to your inner experience and provide guidance.

“We are healed in part by being with another person, in whatever form of therapy you are using,” said Greer Essex.

Francine Hoffman graduated from the institute in 2006 with a Master of Arts in Expressive Arts Therapy and Coaching. Both women agree art on its own is beneficial, but for it to become “therapy”, the inner experience must be brought forth into a shared space.

Hoffman says a therapist becomes essential when someone’s “play range”, or, their ability to move easily in the world, has become restricted and they are unable to self-direct or motivate.

“The therapist offers an invaluable witness to the creative process and the art created, seeing aspects often missed from one’s own eyes, offering suggestions for use of media and exploring possible transfers to another modality, all of which may foster new insights and resources to follow up on,” Hoffman elaborated.

Hoffman also practices Intermodal Expressive Arts Therapy which she explains has some differences from other forms of art therapy, most notably the movement between the art forms. “During my long career I’ve witnessed healing and change of all kinds; from loss and grief, from trauma, from suffering brought on by all kinds of experiences,” said Greer Essex. “ I’ve seen people change their identities and the way they live their lives … in fact, this is not uncommon.”

Hoffman explains that art therapy allows the client to take a break from focusing on themselves as something damaged or needing to be fixed to experiencing the self as a creative person. “An exciting transformation to see is the client’s experience of a change in identity from a condition or diagnosis to, ‘I’m an artist!’ or at least, ‘I can be creative no matter my skill!,” said Hoffman. A common misconception both women often encounter is that art therapy best serves artists or at least those with somes creative skill or inclination.

“Art therapy and expressive arts therapy can be for anyone,” said Hoffman. “The one mindset that is helpful is curiosity and being open enough to try.”

For those who would like to learn more about the world of art therapy and expressive arts therapy, a good place to start is the American Art Therapy Association website where they house a large array of resources www.arttherapy.org

To learn more about Greer Essex and the programs the ExpressiveArts Institute of San Diego offers, go to www.expressiveartsinstitute.org which features a resources tab full of inspiring and free downloads.