 Creativity in Counseling: Fostering Effective and Resilient Counseling Practice Collaboratively Thelma Duffey, Ph.D.

Introduction Thelma Duffey, Ph.D. President-Elect The American Counseling Association Professor and Department Chair The University of Texas at San Antonio

“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” -Albert Einstein

 Complications

Definition of Creativity in Counseling  “CIC is defined as a shared counseling process involving growth-promoting shifts that occur from an intentional focus on the therapeutic relationship and the inherent human creative capacity to affect change. Creativity is as fundamental to counseling practice as the therapeutic relationship. In the best sense, the therapeutic relationship ignites creative problem solving, understanding, flexibility, and adaptability. In turn, this shared creativity deepens the counseling relationship” (Duffey, Haberstroh, & Trepal, 2015).

CIC and Human Nature  Born with innate creative potential  Can be socialized out of us  Can be nurtured  Essential for human relationships and problem solving  Co-creativity inspires action

CIC Basic Tenets  CIC is relational and co-creative.  Promotes problem-solving, perspective shifting, creative imagination, and relational skill-building.  Inspires risk taking and flexibility.  Respectful of power and context (not focused on pathology).  Expressed and experienced in diverse ways.  May involve creative interventions or other media.

CIC Goals – To Help Clients:  Connect with innate resourcefulness, innovation, and creativity  Shift to more productive and realistic perspective  Become unstuck  Connect with spontaneity, sense of fun, and levity  Broaden options for relating authentically and realistically

CIC Process of Change  A focus on relationships.  Focus on context and not pathology.  Accessing and developing shared creativity.  Shifts in perspective.  Self-compassion.  Greater creativity.

CIC Interventions  Allowing for creativity of client and counselor provides opportunities to affect change and movement.  Humor  Connection  Does not require the use of media

When Media is used:  Guided by theoretical intention and counseling skill.  Purposeful and grounded in theory.  Media and creative interventions can help give voice to a situation in ways talk alone may not accomplish.  Thoughtful interventions to support client growth.

May Involve Creative And Innovative Interventions Using Various Media  Music  Play  Poetry  Journaling  Puppets/Toys  Board Games  Theatre  Art  Sand  Books  Literature  Movies  Technology  Crafts

 Creative Arts Therapies  Use various forms of media (dance, play, art, poetry) to help clients understand and communicate their concerns.  Focus on specific creative media as distinct therapies  Many practitioners begin as artists skilled at using media prior to CAT training.  Have their own credentialing and practice parameters (codes of ethics, standards of practice).  Requires documented training and supervised experience in each of the regulated creative arts therapies. Distinctions between Creative Arts Therapies and Creativity in Counseling

 Creativity in Counseling  Founded for counselors.  Reflects and honors the synergy of creativity within the counseling relationship.  Understand that CIC is not a simple catchall or catalogue of activities void of theoretical and research underpinnings.  Supports the creative process within counselors and clients.  Follows the ACA Code of Ethics and state licensing boards.

ACA Code of Ethics  “Counselors practice only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, state and national professional credentials, and appropriate professional experience” (C.2.a., p. 8).

CIC Ethical Recommendations  Professional ethics are standards adopted by a professional community.  Professional counselors subscribe to the ACA Code of Ethics.  Other groups of professionals maintain their own ethical and practice codes.  Individual state licensing boards also develop and maintain ethical codes,  Ethical codes demarcate professional boundaries.  Trained professional counselors with an ethical foundation based on the ACA Code of Ethics (2014) can use their creativity and the creativity of their clients.  Counselors can use music in their sessions but may not identify as music therapists, etc.

Applying CIC with Maria  Grew up in traditional Hispanic family  Role model for younger children  First to attend college  Met a man from another culture  Family opposed to their marriage  She married and moved away  Disconnection from family  Became a teacher  Marriage was abusive  Two young children  Divorced  Separated from family  Blamed by family for breaking family rules  Disconnected from friends after divorce  Lonely, depressed, and has suicidal ideation.

CIC Conceptualization  Recognize context of Maria’s experience and conceptualize her current stressors from a relational, multicultural, and strength-based perspective.  Navigating two worlds.  Beloved and conflictual family and cultural histories.  Contemporary lifestyle of choice.  Divorce/Disenfranchised loss.  Feelings of betrayal, rejection, abandonment.  Spousal abuse --- shame.  Role model – shame.  Feeling disempowered makes sense.  Feelings of failure.

CIC Conceptualization  Suicidal thoughts.  Use the power of the relationship and creativity to:  Help her make sense of her experience.  Find compassion for herself through her connections.  Connect a more productive and realistic perspective of herself and her situation.  Do not pathologize.  Not an issue with the “self.”  Partner with her to work through losses using their relationship and creativity. 

A Musical Chronology  Uses songs to evoke memories and emotions  Serves as a point of connection to our experiences and to an engaged listener  Serves as a soundtrack of our lives  Helps us tell our stories and process our experiences  Specific songs can describe our current emotional state (takes emotional pulse)  Songs can help us identify a “future” song, a song we can “live into” (Counseling goals)

A Musical Chronology: The Process  Step One – consider and compile song list chronologically.  Step Two – provide context for story and process relevant experiences using music to evoke memories.  Step Three – identify song (s) that reflects current thoughts, feelings, and beliefs (Taking our emotional pulse)  Step Four – select song (s) that reflects our hopes for the future (Counseling goals)

Memory Boxes  Significant personal objects can be used to decorate, or be stored in the box  Photos  Handwritten notes  Favorite recipes  Copies of s

Bibliotherapy  Use books with adults, teens, and children  Connect to the characters in the stories  Identify with characters’ emotions & dilemmas  Serve as a way to interpret a personal situation  Provides an opportunity to reconsider ones own story

Other Possibilities  Working with Maria’s Dream  Bibliotherapy  Journaling  DRC

ACC as a Resource