1. ART THERAPY, WORK-RELATED STRESS & NEW WAYS OF THINKING
Dr Val HUET (PhD),
Chief Executive Officer,
British Association of Art Therapists.
ART THERAPY, WORK-RELATED STRESS & NEW WAYS OF THINKING

2. The Adamson Collection/Wellcome Library (paintings and drawing)
Artworks courtesy of
Paintings in Hospitals
The Adamson Collection/Wellcome Library
(paintings and drawing)
The Adamson Collection Trust
(sculptural objects)

3. WORK-RELATED STRESS IN HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE
A growing concern:
Unprecedented levels of cuts
Unprecedented levels of change
Evidence of rising levels of conflict
Playful, imaginative, reflective space disappears
Creativity disappears
Impact on client care (see the Francis report for the worst outcomes)

4. Creativity ? A profoundly human attribute
The act of giving shape to something new (an idea, a concept, and object)
It is relational – inspiring others to take up and develop ideas, concepts, etc.
Can make us joyful and engaged as well as anxious and confused
Is about risk-taking
Is an optimistic act

5. Creativity?
Elitist concept of creativity (only special people need apply!) whereas ‘ordinary’ creativity denigrated
Myth of creative genius sticks to art in a very unhelpful way
Art, in the widest sense of the word, was part of our development
Part of play and making sense of the world (Winnicott)
For adults, art can provide permission to play
Within the current work context, art may offer a way to unblock thinking, decrease stress and re-connect with personal creativity

6. The art therapy - based groups
Developed at Tate Britain with Carers and Staff from a Forensic Unit for people with Learning Disability
Expanded to be used within the work place
All organisations have pictures on their walls
Three phases in a session that replicate art therapy practice

7. The art therapy - based groups
Looking at and discussing artworks
Making an art response
Discussing own artworks and process
MAIN FOCUS IS ON WORK & WORK ISSUES AND EMOTIONAL RESPONSES TO THESE ARE VALUED AS A HELPFUL INDICATOR OF REAL CONCERNS
Lucy Pashley

8. Telling the story
Introducing the story of artworks and the artists’ lives, and not just the academic aesthetic context, supported participants’ engagement with artworks.
Art is relational (Bourriaud, 2012) and people need the human, personal stories of artists to build a connection.

9. Getting to play
Participants invited to develop stories from the artworks. Enjoyed developing imaginative stories and listening to each other’s narratives, supporting positive playful relational processes in the group.

10. OUR STORY WITH ART IS NEVER NEUTRAL
Although a few participants had positive associations with art and were actively involved in it, many were not. However, by end of project and up to 1 year afterwards, most were.

11. Getting the personal art story
Participants’ personal stories with art often reflect painful childhood experiences of feeling ‘no good at art’ that still have a vivid emotional impact.
Many had never talked about this experience to anyone, or had not thought about its lasting impact
Given them a space to do so opened up a path to connecting with art

12. Art-Viewing & Processes of Joint Attention
Part of infant development – child and adult pointing and looking together at a joint attention point (Scaife & Bruner, 1975)
Socially embedded, emerging before language
Other people have minds, separate from one’s own
Capacity to orientate to the other’s point of view

13. The art-making experience
Initially dreaded by many
Art-viewing helped to overcome fear – imagination and playfulness engaged
Safe in a staff team (I can paint it and know it’s there but I can control how much I say)
Revelatory in terms of true feelings towards work
Helped to understand and address work- related stressors