Anthroposophical Therapeutic Arts

Anthroposophical Art Therapy has been developed since 1921 by Rudolf Steiner, Dr. Ita
Wegman and the artistic therapeutic work by Dr. Margarethe Hauschka and the artist Liane
Collot D’Herbois.

This form of art therapy, known in the UK as “Anthroposophic Therapeutic Arts” has its’ roots
in Anthroposophy. This is the philosophy and spiritual anthropology of Dr. Rudolf Steiner, a
philosophy of life that respects the freedom of each human being.

Anthroposophical Artistic Therapy applies a holistic approach and treatment using artistic
techniques often inspired by nature and its’ rhythms and processes. This treatment is tailor-made,
it respects the unique individual and it is based on a solid therapeutic relationship.

By applying the knowledge and anthroposophical understanding of human-beings, the use of

artistic non-verbal media and a solid therapeutic relationship this therapy can be used to
positively affect physical and mental health and spiritual aspects of someone’s life.

This therapy is based on the principle that illness has its’ roots in the soul and that artistic work is
an expression of the soul. It aims to strengthen and bring balance to the whole human-being
helping to resolve and prevent illness and guide towards a happier life.

The understanding and application of ‘colour’ in Anthroposophical Artistic Therapy stems from
the research works of Johan Wolfgang von Goethe and Rudolf Steiner.

The Anthroposophical Art Therapy approach allows clients to become more aware of natural
processes in and around themselves and of the healing potential of colour, line and form.

Various techniques of drawing, painting and clay modelling correspond with the three faculties:
thinking, feeling and willing. Often we see that one area dominates over another. One may say:
“you think too much but don’t take any action” or the other way around: ‘”you act before
thinking” or you are dealing with overwhelming emotions and can’t rationalise the situation or
think clearly anymore.

Also here we try to find a healthy balance. Such tendencies, if becoming dominant can result in
depression, impulsive behaviour and burn out.

You may imagine that working with lines in drawing needs concentration; it needs focused
attention, which requires and consequently stimulates certain thinking processes.

Working with colours involves a soul-movement; a colour can set the mood of a painting.
Imagine a green landscape painting and change the green for blue shades or red shades, this
changes the mood of the painting completely but also of the maker and the viewer. Colours are a
strong medium with the ability to connect with your inner emotional world. Through guided
painting, visualisation exercises and pastel drawings you can discover the harmonizing quality of
colour and use it to regain your emotional balance.

Clay modelling is a technique used to stimulate the will. You have to work through cold clay to
model it into a shape, it requires physical energy and power, further it requires will-power to see
it through until a piece is finished. Working with clay re-activates enthusiasm and inner power to
undertake action and is used for re-enforcing the sense of personal boundaries.

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Artistic therapy for children

Arts and therapy are often combined to support children with a need for emotional support but
also to:

• Improve a lack of confidence

• Help managing emotions
• Work with feelings of unhappiness
• Support a bereavement process
• Support cases of trauma
• Manage feelings related to abuse
• Manage issues related to adoption
• Learn to deal with high-sensitivity
• Stimulate creativity and manage emotional development of for high-ability children
• Cope with bullying
• Support during divorce of parents
• Manage behavioral problems
• Support children with autism and learning difficulties
• Find ways to express during a time of illness of a parent
• Support during a time of illness such as cancer

Children are referred to Artistic therapy in schools, hospitals but also to private Artistic
therapists by parents who feel their children could benefit from emotional support.

It is not always easy as a parent to find out what your child needs in a difficult time and a child
can’t always find the words to explain why they feel the way they feel. Besides obvious stressful
events and situations that can seriously affect a child emotionally, it could be that a child simply
does not seem happy, develops unusual new habits, concerning reports come back from school
regarding changed behavior or a child frequently displays uncontrolled anger or sadness.

It may be that a child has gone through a very difficult time such as a divorce, a loss of a family
member, abuse or coping with illness of a parent or their own. Being able to express their
difficult emotions is then very important. Art therapy can facilitate this need benefiting a healthy
child development.

For children expression through the arts comes much more natural than for adults. Creativity is
used effortlessly as they are still closely connected with the world of imagination. Children have
the ability to communicate their feelings and experiences of the world, often very clearly,
through their artworks.

The level of sensitivity for the arts and the process of art making is many times bigger as it is
with the average adult taking part in a creative process of making art. Colours are very important,
there are less inhibitions and connecting with shapes, imagination and characters in play, stories
and artworks can become their main language through which they can receive messages and also
express their own personal message.

With younger children till about 7 years old I work a lot with fairytales translated into colourful
artworks. They often enjoy working freely with the art materials that are on offer and are happy
to express what it is they have created. In some cases the characters in their artworks can talk and
a dialogue with an artwork (and their inner self) can begin.

When children come into therapy from the age of 10 or older they may be a bit more reserved
when it comes to making free artworks. They may feel shy using their imagination freely.
Through building up a positive therapeutic relationship based on trust and knowing that they
cannot fail in whatever it is they create they tend to gradually take charge, engage with the art
materials and re-connect with their imagination.

The Artistic Therapy sessions for children are also 50 minutes and take place once or twice a
week depending on each case. In some cases group sessions are available. Therapy starts with an
initial consultation with the child and a parent.

The therapeutic benefits of clay work in

play therapy.
May 4, 2012 | Drama Start

Clay work is like the Cinderella of the art therapies. She still waits to be discovered with her
magic, her beauty and her ability to transform the wells of human suffering into places of insight
and celebration. Her dark earthly solid mass, often appearing in greyish, brownish or terracotta
dress, is hardly alluring at first sight. Touching this sticky cold mass, you sense she has a
longing and determination to merge with your skin.” (Sherwood, 2010)

Children have always played with clay however more recently it has become a valuable tool for
play therapists as it provides children with a natural method of connection and expression. This
research project is going to examine the therapeutic benefits of using clay in play therapy. The
reason I choose this particular topic to research is because when I started play therapy with my
clients I did not include clay in my tool kit. After a few months, clay was introduced into the
play room and it was very apparent to me from the outset that my clients were instantly drawn to
it. They all used the clay but interestingly they used it in very different ways. Its many qualities
such as its strength, malleability and its concreteness make it very responsive to human feelings.
My clients liked feeling, modelling, squashing, rolling and pounding the clay. I felt undoubtedly
it was instrumental in moving the clients forward in their therapeutic process. Children are
naturally attracted to clay and are drawn to its visual appeal (Henley, 2002). It is a strong
expressive medium and is ideal for enhancing children’s development and holistic learning
(White, 2006). This research project will attempt to give some insight into what the therapeutic
benefits are of using clay in a play therapy setting. I will do this by examining relevant literature
on the subject and by using some of my own personal experiences dealing with clay as a play
therapist.

Landreth (2002) states that it is difficult for children to access their feelings at a verbal level as
children do not have the cognitive or verbal ability to express what they are feeling in a manner
that can be expressed into words. Since the inception of play therapy, clay has always been an
important tool for therapist (Axline, 1947; Landreth, 2002). It is advocated by many
psychotherapists as one of the primary devices for helping clients to explore difficult concepts
and express fundamental emotions in a non verbal manner (Freud 2006). However, while many
therapists’ advocates the inclusion of clay in the therapy room and recognise its therapeutic
potential. Goryl’s (as cited in Sherwood 2010) survey showed only 25% of therapists used clay
in their practice while in contrast 99% believed that clay was very therapeutic. There has not
being much research done on the therapeutic aspects of clay or clay as a therapeutic medium in
general (Sherwood, 2010, Gavron and Sholt, 2006, Souter-Anderson, 2010). The dearth of
research and books on the subject may be a result of the belief that clay therapy comes under the
umbrella of art therapy. Souter- Anderson (2010) in her book “Touching Clay, Touching What?”
refutes this and claims clay therapy has a “unique theoretical anchoring in the same way that
sandplay, music therapy and authentic movement have their respective theoretical bases”
(Souter-Anderson, 2010: 13).

In order to explore the therapeutic aspects of clay it is important to briefly describe the role clay
has played in history. Clay products such as vases, pots, symbolic figures have been present in
past civilizations. In addition to the functional aspects of clay in creating a variety of containing
tools, it has been used in many cultures as a method of expressing the religious dimensions in
human life. Clay originates from the earth and as the earth is viewed as the source of all things it
can be inferred that clay can anchor very powerful emotions. Sholt and Gavron (2006: 66) claim
there is a link “between symbolic clay products and mental spiritual realm of human kind early
in human history. Accordingly, clay figures which are made of earth may reflect the connection
between the human mental world and the material world”

Clay involves a very primal mode of expression and communication as it involves touching
(Henley, 2002). Tactile contact is actually the first mode of communication that a baby learns
(Bowlby, 1969). It is the sense of touch that enables people to understand the very boundaries of
themselves (Sunderland, 2004). Touch, before all else, is the primary, non-verbal way a child
has to relating to its mother. From the moment of birth, touch is the way in which feelings are
communicated and experienced. The sense of touch is closely linked to early attachment.
(Bowlby, 1969). Attachment is the bond that develops between a baby and its primary caregiver.
It is characterised by the interaction patterns which develop in order to fulfil the infants’ needs
and emotional development (Bowlby, 1969). According to Bowlby (1969) not developing a
secure attachment in early life, could prove damaging to the child emotionally and these
difficulties could filter through to adult life. Souter-Anderson (2010) states that many therapists
see their clients’ relationship with clay as a metaphor for their attachments with different people
in their lives. Cattanach (1996:196) states that the medium of clay have its own specific qualities
and says “it responds and reacts and has to be grappled with, in the same way as a human
relationship does if it is to progress”. Baring this in mind it could be concluded using clay in the
playroom could help children or adults not only to explore their early attachment bonds but also
help them examine and look at their current relationships.

Clay leaves an imprint and feelings move through hands into clay making the invisible visible. In
addition to touch, modelling clay requires body movement. Touch and movement are
interlinked. Real past memories and the “central window to the unconscious” can be unlocked
through touch and movement (Oaklander, 1988). Clay therapy can allow the clients see their
inner trauma and places of wounding (Sherwood, 2010). Nez (1991) made use of clay in order to
facilitate healing with adults who had difficult and traumatic childhoods. He found that clay
encouraged a more spontaneous and less controlled expression and response then other art
mediums. He stated that using clay put the client in touch with primitive sensations and emotion.

Clay is cathartic in nature as it allows the child to express an array of emotions. Catharsis allows
for the release of previously restrained and interrupted affective release via emotional expression
such as pounding clay (Schaffer, 2006). When children feel stuck, frustrated and overwhelmed
by life challenges, the use of clay in therapy provides a safe place for releasing stored up
thoughts and emotions, and unlearning old, destructive or unproductive habits. Some children
find this particularly soothing and it can be useful for releasing tension or can be safe outlet for
frustration and aggression (Hart, 1992 as cited in Sholt & Gavron, 2006). Sholt and Gavron
(2006:67) states that working with clay could ” function as a control window to these
unconscious non verbal representations and maybe helpful with people who find it hard to
express themselves verbally or who are defensive.

Clay is malleable and three dimensional and it can become anything a child wants it to become.
It can embody a representational form or an abstract one, for example a child could create a
shape that represents a monster which could look like an animal or a fantasy figure or it just
might be a shape that maybe symbolic. Once form has emerged from the clay, it may become
fixed and permanent, or be crushed and rolled back up into a ball. Creating different forms can
help a child find a way of expressing their inner emotions and thoughts.

Souter-Anderson (2010) states that clay is particularly useful when exploring feelings of anger. It
can also act as an outlet to prevent the build up of negative emotions and feelings in the child.
Macks (1990) as cited in Henley (2002) talks about a client who dug her nails into the clay over
and over again. He says that in order for “the therapeutic process to progress than all suppressed
or imploded anger must first be imploded” (Sherwood, 2010:72). I found this to be very true in
my experience of working with a nine year old boy. He was referred to play therapy as he had
some difficulties mixing with other children in the school. He became very aggressive and anger
at times and the school were concerned. His mother said he appeared sad a lot of the time. He
was an only child who lived alone with his mother. His parents were young when he was born
and his father is drug addict. His father has been in and out of prison due to his drug addiction.
He does see his father but it is very irregularly and he has come to see him as an acquaintance
rather than a father. He used to just come into the room and throw the clay at the board. I
noticed he did this when he was annoyed or angry about something not necessarily his father but
something that had happen in school or if he was anger with his mother or teachers. He
eventually made it into a game. He drew a circle on the board and the nearer he threw the clay to
the centre of the circle the more points he received. Sherwood (2010:105) states in her book is a
particularly good way “for the release of anger since it splats on the board. The release is
dramatic”.

Clay being an earthy medium by its very nature can take a lot of anger and rage. Clay in therapy
provides a medium to work through issues such as anger, grief, and fear and move the client on
in their therapeutic process. Another client used the clay to represent lot of different emotions.
The client was a ten year old girl that lived with her mother, her brother and half sister in a
disadvantaged area in the city. Her parents had separated two years previously and at the time the
sessions commenced she was having difficulty accepting the situation. Her father and his new
girlfriend had a baby and he moved in with her and created a new family unit. She did not
consider herself to be part of this new family and over the course of the sessions she became
more isolated from her father and felt abandoned by him. She had difficulty using any of the tool
kit but when the clay was introduced she used to throw at the board and the walls. She used feel
energised and it would improve her mood. Interestingly, in the latter phrase of her play therapy
she began to make smiley faces. On one occasion she used the clay to do this. This client found it
very difficult to talk about her real feelings so I felt the clay gave her an outlet to express them in
a non verbal way.

Self esteem

Working with clay can be rewarding for children who are hesitant about their creativity. You
need very little skill to use clay and so there is hardly any chance of failure (Henley, 2002). The
play therapy is non directive and as the play therapist does not enforce any expectations or
boundaries on the client, he can express himself freely in a confident matter and with out
restraint. Additionally the important aspect of using clay which is often ignored in play therapy
as we focus on the process rather than the product is the way it enables children to produce
lasting pieces. This permanency of creation promotes a child’s self-esteem and when functional
pieces are produced (e.g. cups, bowls) children see themselves as capable of engaging in a truly
purposeful activity (White as cited in Schaffer, 2006).

I had this experience with one of my clients. This specific client had abandonment issues and
was suffering from low self esteem. In the early sessions, she preferred to talk but in one session
she choose to work with the clay. She made a SpongeBob out of the clay and she wanted to take
it home however this conflicted with the boundaries we had set out for the play therapy sessions.
She had agreed to leave everything in the playroom until her therapy was finished. However, this
seemed very important to her and up to this point she hadn’t asked to take any thing else out of
the room so I spoke to my supervisor who told me get her to make another one that she could
specifically show her mother and her friends. The next session we created another SpongeBob
(see photo below) in the room and she took it away.

The next week she told me how great her friends and mother thought it was. She was extremely
pleased with herself. The fact is clay can give children the material to make something out of
nothing. They can put their own imprint on clay and therefore they bring something from the
unconscious to the conscious (Heimlich and Mark, 1990 as cited in Sholt and Gavron, 2006).
Clay products are tangible and can be examined at a later stage and the importance of this was
evident in the case of my client. She used to look and admire her clay creations every week. Play
provides children with unlimited opportunities to create, through the construction of clay,
whereby they gain a sense of confidence and self efficacy that boasts their self esteem (Schaefer
2006). Oaklander (1988) also advocates projective techniques such as clay sculpting which she
claims is very useful to facilitate children and help them explore negative self image and increase
self acceptance and self esteem. I found from my own clients that using clay can be a satisfying
experience that enables a child who can be hesitant about their creativity be creative.

Group work

For many years clay have been used by psychotherapists and art therapist. As clay has been
advocated by therapist as something that advances the therapeutic process in not only in
individual but also group therapies (Anderson, 1995; Mattes and Robbins, 1981 as cited in Sholt
and Gavron, 2006). Using clay can also be a very social activity. When appropriate, groups of
children with similar presenting concerns are encouraged to interact together verbal
communication skills, confidence and social skills are developed and promoted. Children will
often exchange ideas and suggestions on how something can be made, and being able to show
another child how to make something can be particularly rewarding (White, 2006). Co-operation
and sharing of ideas in groups promotes a sense of identity and a sense of belonging. In a study
carried out by Sweeney and Thomas as cited in Souter-Anderson (2010) focusing on the issue of
transition, clay was the second most popular medium used. Sand tray work was the first. I found
this very apparent in a group of four girls who were aged eleven I had for group play therapy.
The overall aim of the therapy was to enable the clients to become more confident, more self
assured and to have a more positive image about themselves. One of the girls had difficulty in
each session trying to decide what to do. The others in the group would just ignore her but one of
the weeks we were using clay the other girls gave her ideas on what she could make. She felt
supportive and gave the strength to finish her clay model. She made a face – see photo below.

Up to this point she had never completed anything. After she had completed her model with their
direction, they as a group decided without being asked they decided to make a clay model
together. They decided to make a plaque and decorate it with glitter and stars. The girl who could
never complete anything to that point became very much involved and suggested that they are
put their initials on the plaque (see photo below).

The group had been quite separate up to the session we used the clay and I felt it was definitely
instrumental in the bond in the group becoming closer and for moving them forward in the
therapy. The client who found it difficult to decide what to do every week became much more
confident and uninhibited when working with the clay. She put the clay all over her face (see
photo below). She was enjoying the freedom of using the clay with no pressure to get it right or
produce a perfect model.

Another interesting observation I made was when one of the girls in the group made an ashtray
for her father she spoke to the group of how she was very worried he would die if he didn’t stop
smoking. These revelations led to another member of the group opening up about her fears for
her mother who also smokes see photo below it is the clay model at the front.

Sherwood (2010) says using clay in groups is very productive in prompting discussions about
feelings and relationships and I felt this was certainly true with this particular group I had.

Using clay as a metaphor

Using clay to create metaphorical meaning can directly progress a client’s therapy. As mentioned
earlier clay allows a client to access to their unconscious. If a client can tap into their
unconscious they can begin to face the underlying cause of their difficulties. Winner (1998) as
cited in Henley (2002) says that metaphors are a more effective way of capturing meaning than
talking. The use of metaphors allows for the exploration of client’s social and emotional
difficulties without having to confront the issues directly or resort to negative criticism (Henley,
2002) by creating symbolic equivalents to their thoughts feelings and behaviours. Working with
metaphor as a means of problem solving is an enjoyable and fun way of confronting serious
issues. The photo below shows one of my client’s clay representations of how he sees his
mother. He sees as her as a snake. It wasn’t a negative thing as the snake can represent
protection and transformation.

Henley (2002) states the in order to use clay as a suitable therapeutic medium it is important that
the child has some ability in to think abstractly. Thus he believes that using this medium is most
suitable for children over the age 6. He believes that younger children may enjoy using the clay
they would not necessary to benefit from it therapeutically.
Summary of findings

This research project attempted to explore some of the therapeutic benefits of using clay in play
therapy. I have discovered that it undoubtedly helps a play therapy client express their emotions
and this is due to the tactile nature of the clay. It is this mode of primal communication
(touching) that helps emotions such as anger, greed, and grief be expressed in the clay. Using
clay therapeutically allows you to grab an emotion and look at it in the face, touch it, shape it and
feel it. It makes the intangible touchable. From my research and my own personal experience I
have concluded that clay is extremely cathartic as clients have a strong emotional experience
working with the clay. Due it is to its ability to be three dimensional, it can represent real life
objects. It can lead to regression and according to Henley (2002) regression that occurs through
clay work leads to a cathartic release. It is powerful and penetrating and it enables an enormous
release and transformation without the client having to talk about what is going on. However the
use of clay can tap into the unconscious mind and a therapeutic conversation about the visible
product with the client can unlock the hidden memories. I have also seen how clay can act as a
catalyst in encouraging group interaction and it helps with self esteem and self confidence. It also
helps clients develop their social skills and helps the group members to support one another. It
also can be instrumental in developing empathy. I feel that clay work that is symbolic or
metaphoric can facilitate verbal communication and encourage people to speak about matters
they wouldn’t have normally disclosed. Additionally I think because of need to focus on the clay
when one manipulates clay can led to improved concentration.

Recommendations

From this research I have some recommendations for using clay in play therapy.

 It is important to make clay more widely available in the play room. The use of this tool
by more play therapists in a broader range of contexts and with a broader range of
population groups like special needs is important. As mentioned in the project although
99% of counsellors believe clay has some therapeutic value only 25% of therapists make
it available.
 Clay can be used very effectively in group work to promote social skills and empathy. Be
more directive ask the group to make a shape representing themselves, or how they felt
this morning. By doing this you are promoting an interactive discussion within the group
but remember never force someone to speak if they refuse to do so.
 Therapists often feel under confident in terms of using clay (Souter-Anderson, 2010)
which is probably one of the reason that it is absent from many therapists tool kits. I
would recommend that therapists should spend time getting to know the medium and feel
what is like working with it personally.

In conclusion before I began this research essay I knew clay was very effective but this essay has
helped me realise how and why clay is such a powerful medium and it is an essential part of a
play therapist’s tool kit. This research has helped me improve my understanding of the
therapeutic uses of clay and it undoubtedly informs my future practice as a play therapist.
There is nothing else quite like clay. In art therapy, clay is referred to as a “regressive medium”.
Meaning that it has the unique ability to bring up memories or feelings from our past, and often
dredges up buried or forgotten things from our childhood. Something I have noticed is that when
a person has not played with clay for many years and are exposed to it, usually the first thing
they make will be connected to their childhood.

This may be because clay is sexual and sensual. A good example is the scene from the movie
Ghost, when the two lovers are gently caressing each others hands while they throw a pot. Clay
can bring you back to the developmental stage where the world revolves around you, you are the
cause of all things, good and bad. It is a Transitional Object in that it reflects when we destroy it
and when we build it up. Clay bends to your will and is easily manipulated. Also unlike drawing,
clay works with you, not against you because nothing is permanent with clay. In drawing you
need to let go a lot of the control because the pencil requires it, with clay you hold the power. All
lines can be smoothed over with ease and you can start over never having to worry about wasting
material.

I love clay.

And I REALLY love modeling clay. Specifically grey Roma Plastilina. This is the clay I use
with my clients, it holds incredible detail and has a good density so it can maintain complicated
shapes without slumping over. I use grey, not just because its my favorite color :) but because its
neutral and even after years of use dirt doesn’t contaminate the color.

This is just the tip of the iceburg when it comes to using clay in art therapy. I encourage you to
get some modeling clay and expereince the magic for yourself!

Hidden things in the sand

March 25, 2013 · by christabrennan · in Addiction, Directives with clay, Mental Health. ·

Description: In art therapy sand often represents the subconscious. It is an ever shifting
landscape both hiding and revealing the depths of our identity. This directive seeks to explore
what lies beneath the sands of our subconscious.

Materials: Grey modeling clay, sculpting tools

Directions: Set up some calm background music if you like. Give each client a ball of clay about
the size of a tangerine (clients can add more clay later if they like) once everyone has their clay,
ask them to get comfortable and close their eyes. Ask them to work their clay, soften it, become
acquainted with it and read this script slowly, “You are walking down a beach…you can feel the
sand in your toes… you smell the salt in the air…you hear the water gently rolling on the
shore…you are at peace as you walk along…then you step on something. you bend down to
brush off the sand….what is it?” Ask the group to open their eyes and begin sculpting what they
found. Reserve time at the end for processing.

Things to Consider: Anytime we work with clay in this kind of setting we can feel exposed in
the things we make. I have noticed that once the clients are finished sharing they destroy
their sculpture and smush it into a ball. Almost as if its too uncomfortable to look at it any
longer. But you may want to encourage your clients to hold onto their creation, its not everyday
we get to stare our subconscious in the face.

When in doubt: Use clay

March 13, 2013 · by christabrennan · in Directives with clay, Mental Health. ·

The picture shows 1) modeling clay and pen caps 2) An elephant, 3) a meteor, and 4) a molecule.

Materials: modeling clay. Specifically grey Roma Plastilina. This is the clay I use with my
clients, it holds incredible detail and has a good density so it can maintain complicated shapes
without slumping over. I use grey, not just because its my favorite color :) but because its neutral
and even after years of use dirt doesn’t contaminate the color.

Directive: No directive.

Don’t get me wrong, Iv’e got lots of directives for clay, but sometimes the best directive is the
one the client comes up with themselves. In the pictures above you see a ball of clay and pen
caps. Pen caps believe it or not actually make great sculpting tools, especially on a slim budget!

What I actually said to my clients was, “I want you to focus on how you feel today in this
moment. Look at the clay as you soften it with your hands and try to find an image emerge. Let
the clay tell you what it wants to be. It doesn’t have to be anything, it cold be an abstract shape”.
So after about 20 minutes of working time, these images emerged. I included the elephant
because I have noticed a phenomenon that almost every time I use clay, someone makes an
elephant. So keep an eye out for them and let me know if you spot one!

The client who made the meteor said, “The dents in the rock are scars and bruises, the meteor is
on a journey, a long journey. The meteor represents me and the emotional scars from my past,
and I feel like I’m on a journey, and even though I have scars I’m strong like the rock”.

Finally, the client who made the molecule has paranoid Schizophrenia and is cognitively limited.
His hands constantly shake making most art projects frustrating for him. But when given clay
he blossoms. This is what he said about his sculpture, ” It’s a molecule…its a molecule that will
help cure lots of diseases”. Unfortunately, he was not able to describe it more, but I would bet
that he was feeling hopeful that day, hopeful that maybe one day there would be a medication
that could subdue the hallucinations that plague him.

This is just to show that given an opportunity, our subconscious will supply us with all the
inspiration we need when making art (therapy). So, if you have a mixed crowd in your groups I
would suggest using this “directive”. It also works really well with resistant populations.