When the field of art therapy formally began in 1969, the fledgling profession was born into an exciting world of dramatic change with a strong focus on creativity development. In fact, one of the pioneering training programs at Pratt Institute had, as the title of their degree, a master’s in professional studies in Art Therapy and Creativity Development. It was a period when innovation and creativity were encouraged and flourished. This humanistic approach initially focused on personal growth potential and only later became more embedded within the medical model of ‘diagnosing and curing’ an illness. While this was, and certainly still is, a worthy application of art therapy, we began to lose our original focus on developing ones’ creative potential and have lost the emphasis on self-actualization along with a healthy focus on improving quality of life.
Freud’s definition of mental health was simply to be able to ‘love and work’: meaning improving one’s ability to have intimate personal relationships where one feels loved and loves another, and to work productively; feeling that you are making some significant contribution to society… a seemingly ‘simple’ goal, but often difficult to achieve in this world of confusing, often deliberate disinformation, and man-made or natural disasters that we constantly experience all around us.
His solution to pursuing this goal was through personal self-discovery guided by psychoanalytic experience, leading to what we today would call one's ‘authentic self’. This process exposed unconscious conflict allowing one to eliminate dysfunctional defenses that had interfered with healthy functioning and personal growth.
As an advocate for the original humanistic approach, I decided early in my career to pursue further clinical training to prepare me to create an independent practice that would enable me to work with clients in an ongoing manner; not limited to insurance mandated timeframes.
I then spent the following years teaching and integrating the concepts of expressive modalities within the fabric of more depth-oriented treatment within my independent practice.
Now, licensed as both a creative art therapist and psychoanalyst, I offer an advanced/virtual clinical supervision group for art therapists and other licensed clinicians, who are already in an independent practice and wish to expand the depth of their work by integrating sensory/motor forms of communication within the clinical process. I ask that participants to have had at least one year experience in their own private practice and have a current client load that they are able to present virtually, along with related artwork, for guidance and supervision. There are currently a few openings and I encourage clinicians from all parts of the country to consider joining this group. The group meets Tuesday evenings, ET, from 7:30 - 9:00 PM.
For more detailed information please contact me directly at: rwolfnyc@gmail.com
Dr. Robert Irwin Wolf, DPsa, LP, LCAT, ATR
Professor Emeritus, The College of New Rochelle
Faculty, The College of Mount Saint Vincent