art therapy
Art Psychotherapy
Founded in the 1930’s, art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that utilizes the art making process for diagnosis, communication and intervention. The process of creating an art piece, the art piece itself, and the client’s associations to the piece are all used to foster a compatible relationship between the individual’s inner and outer worlds. While the art therapist also makes use of verbal explorations and interventions, their unique skills and knowledge in the area of non-verbal expressions enable them to develop avenues for communication that are unique in the mental health field.
Art therapists may use the same means as Art Educators but their goals are vastly different. Art therapists may have the same goals as verbal therapists but their means are vastly different.
The American Art Therapy Association defines entry level into the profession at the Master’s Degree level. The art therapist will have graduated from a minimum of a two-year graduate program, which will have included between 600 and 1,000 hours of supervised practicum experience. AATA also certifies the competency of individual art therapists who meet the requirements of the Association. Art therapists certified by AATA are designated ATR (Art Therapist, Registered). Intro to Art Therapy, SC July 2004
Group Art Therapy
Group art therapy enables the individual to benefit from both the treatment by a licensed professional and the group dynamic of shared experiences and shared support among members. Group therapy built around creating art can also alleviate the anxiety of sharing experiences with others by speaking through the art making process.
Individual Art Therapy
Limited openings are available for Individual Art Therapy. The intake process is the same as group therapy. Please use the contact form below if you are interested.
Marjorie Taylor, licensed therapist, LPC, ATR
Hello, I am an Art Instructor, Art Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor. I have 15 years of experience working with various populations including elementary special education, residential treatment with teens, and outpatient with ages 8 to 88.
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After receiving my undergraduate degree, I knew I wanted to attend graduate school and focus on helping others. So, I took an intro to art therapy course and fell in love! As an artist, I always knew art making felt good and art therapy helped me understand how to use art to help others feel good.
Art therapy’s holistic approach to the mind-body connection is undeniable and sometimes seems like a magic healing tool.
My art therapy groups at Eclipse are a safe space to express oneself non-verbally when words can be difficult to find.
Group Art Therapy at Eclipse
Adults
Thursdays 10:00 - 11:30 am
Art Therapy for Caregivers
This is an art therapy support group for any adult who is a caregiver for children, a family member, or as a profession. Caregiving can be challenging and overwhelming at times.
This group will be a time just for the caregiver to unwind and recharge through art making and group support.
Children age 6 through 9
Thursdays 4:30 - 5:30 pm
Engine Group, Self Regulation & Feelings Management
This group will utilize The Alert Program for Self-Regulation created by Williams and Shellenberger. By using the engine analogy to teach self-regulation, children learn what to do if they are in a non-optimal state of alertness. This can apply to “too big” feelings of excitement, anger, anxiety, and sadness. Art helps children define the complexity of feelings, making them easier to explore and understand.
Tweens/Teens
age 10 through 16
Mondays 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Social Skills Group
Navigating the teen social world can be confusing and anxiety provoking. Teens in this art therapy group will use art making as a way to learn about social expectations.
Teens will start to understand their own strengths and weaknesses within the social environment and ways to improve their social skills.
Teens age 13 through 17
Wednesdays 4:00 - 5:30 pm
Art Therapy for Anxiety/Relaxation
Relaxation Through Art: stress balls to sewing. A focused art therapy group with tasks designed around grounding techniques and stress reduction.
Teens will learn how to use art making as a way to understand and reduce anxiety and stress. Teens will also discover the best way for them to use art for relaxation.
How to Start
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To attend an Art Therapy Group or begin Individual Art Therapy the patient must first complete an intake assessment to ensure a good fit of our services for your needs.
Adult Art Therapy Groups:
If you are interested in attending one of our Adult Art Therapy Groups, you will schedule an intake session with our art therapist, Marjorie. The intake session is a structured conversation in which the therapist learns your personal and psychological history. Besides learning about you as a person, the intake session is also used to find out if Marjorie is a good fit for you and if you are a good fit for the group.
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What happens if it’s not a good fit?
Marjorie will provide referrals to other therapists or services as needed.
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Then what happens?
If you and Marjorie agree that art therapy would be a good fit, then you may begin attending a group.
Please note: The art therapy groups at Eclipse are designed to provide services on an outpatient basis. Individuals requiring a higher level of care, such as partial hospitalization, will be referred to a local emergency room for assessment.
Children's Art Therapy Groups:
If your child is interested in attending one of our Art Therapy Groups, you will schedule an intake session with our art therapist, Marjorie. The intake session is a structured conversation in which the therapist meets with the parent(s)/guardian(s) to learn about your child’s personal and psychological history. Depending on the child’s preference and/or maturity level, the child may meet with Marjorie individually during the intake to discuss their own questions and concerns.
Besides learning about your child, the intake session is also used to find out if Marjorie is a good fit for your child and if your child is a good fit for the group.
What happens if it’s not a good fit?
Marjorie will provide referrals to other therapists or services as needed.
Then what happens?
If you, your child, and Marjorie agree that art therapy would be a good fit, then your child may begin attending a group.