Art Therapy Directives: An Intervention Toolbox is an all-inclusive manual of art therapy directives designed to be a comprehensive and organized resource for art therapists and other trained mental health professionals. Art therapy directives are directions for creating art and often require use of specific art media, both of which are tailored to the client’s particular need. Using this book, art therapists will be able to search by population, themes, and art media to find just the right project for their session whether working with individuals or in groups. Comprised of a compilation from traditional art therapy directives, the author’s own experiences, and other published practices, a wide range of mental health topics are included such as depression, self-esteem, life transitions, and trauma. Special consideration is given to populations like adolescents, older adults, veterans, and the LGBTQ+ community. This manual is the answer that many in the field of art therapy have been missing for an all-encompassing, organized reference book to guide art therapy sessions with a wide variety of client populations.
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1.Introduction 2.Adolescents and Young Adults 3.Anger Management 4.Anxiety 5.Autism Spectrum 6.Children 7. Depression 8. Eating Disorders 9. Eco-Art 10. Emotion Recognition 11. Family 12. Grief 13.Group Rapport 14. LGBTQIA+ 15. Life Transitions 16. Medical 17. Mindfulness 18. Multiculturalism 19.Older Adults and Dementia 20. Personality Disorders 21. Pregnancy, Fertility, and Women’s Issues 22.Psychotic Disorders 23. Self Esteem 24. Spirituality 25. Substance Abuse 26. Supervision 27. Termination 28. Trauma 29. Veterans and First Responders 30. Warm Ups and Creative Exploration 31.Virtual Art Therapy 32.Conclusion
Biography
Sarah Balascio is a nationally board-certified art therapist and adjunct lecturer with over 15 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, seniors, families, and groups. Currently she works at the College of William & Mary's McLeod Tyler Wellness Center, facilitating groups and individual sessions for students, faculty, and staff as well as teaching undergraduate courses in the field of art therapy under the Wellness Applications Program. She also serves on the Art Therapy Credentials Board Nominating Committee.
“Art Therapy Directives: An Intervention Toolbox offers the field of art therapy a much-needed resource for those who use the creative arts therapies with clients. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants intervention ideas and practical 'how-to' guides for growth and healing. It includes all the art mediums and pertinent clinical issues in a variety of settings. This is the most comprehensive resource I have come across.”
Allison Crowe, PhD, LCMHC-S Professor, Counselor Education,Interim Department Chair, Interdisciplinary Professions, East Carolina University
“A prominent place on every art therapist's bookshelves should be reserved for the innovative book Art Therapy Directives: An Intervention Toolbox. This book serves as a thorough guide delivering inspiration and real-world applications to address a wide range of therapeutic interventions thanks to its extensive yet thorough examination of the subject matter by the author Sarah Balascio. An excellent tool for art therapists seeking to advance their practice and ultimately aid in the healing of their clients, it is filled with the author's broad knowledge and professional experience.”
Cheryl Walpole Tiku MPS, LPC, LCAT, LPAT, ATR-BC, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, Texas, New York, New Jersey
“I have had the fortunate opportunity to witness first hand the transformational and healing impact of Sarah's work on our campus. I'm so excited that Sarah has taken on the task of sharing her talents with a broader audience through this very well-written and creatively organized book Art Therapy Directives: An Intervention Toolbox. I am admiring and impressed in how she not only provided a flexible reference guide for fellow art therapists and students in art therapy, but she has done a masterful job of revealing the profession of art therapy. As a mental health professional, but not an art therapist, who has witnessed the impact of her work, I gained a glimpse into the process of her work and why expressive therapies are curative and corrective in people's lives. She found the perfect balance of providing clear, easily referenced guidance to multiple therapeutic themes along the entire neurodiverse continuum with relevant therapeutic directives, while being very clear that it is not a template to be followed without consideration of the art therapists themselves and their clients. She accomplished what is most difficult about therapeutic texts, taking the complex relational dynamics of therapy and translating why she is so effective into book form that others can effectively utilize. I was left with a deeper appreciation and value of art therapy that was already very high, and an excitement about this invaluable contribution to the field.”
R. Kelly Crace, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Health & Wellness, Director, Center for Mindfulness & Authentic Excellence (CMAX)
