Cathy Malchiodi, PhD, LPCC, LPAT, ATR-BC
Art Therapy & Expressive Arts Therapy in Trauma-Informed Practice and Integrative Approaches to Health
Welcome to My Website!
If you found your way here, you are probably as passionate about art therapy and expressive arts therapy as I am. Art has the potential to transform lives and often in profound ways; research is demonstrating that art improves not only our quality of life, but also is effective in reducing pain, fatigue and stress and increasing cognitive abilities and emotional well-being. This website is dedicated to the idea of "art therapy without borders" -- the use of visual arts and expressive arts for health and wellness, psychotherapy, community development, service to others, and social transformation. To that end I am an advocate and explorer of how art changes lives throughout the world, each and every day ~ Cathy A. Malchiodi, PhD
About Art Therapy & Expressive Arts Therapy
Art therapy is a form of expressive therapy that uses art materials, such as paints, drawing, clay, collage and even digital media such as photography and tablet technology. Art therapy combines traditional psychotherapeutic theories and techniques with psychological, interpersonal and somatic aspects of the creative process and self-expression. In mental health, art therapy is used in many clinical settings with diverse populations including children, adults, and families. As a part of integrative health care, art therapy and expressive arts therapy (art, music, drama, movement, and writing) complement and support traditional and complementary health practices and interventions.
Books & Articles
Visit this page to find out more about art therapy, creative arts therapies and expressive arts therapy books and articles, including the best-selling Art Therapy Sourcebook, Handbook of Art Therapy (2nd ed.), and Understanding Children's Drawings and the forthcoming Art Therapy and Health Care (September 2012) from Guilford Press. Download articles and find links to other art therapy books by Cathy Malchiodi including translations in Japanese, Chinese, Hebrew, Italian, Russian, Turkish, and Korean.
Courses, Workshops, Supervision & Consultation
Find out more information about intensive courses, workshops and distance learning opportunities in art therapy and expressive arts therapy, including Trauma-Informed Art Therapy® and integrative approaches to arts therapies for health and well-being. Schedule art therapy and expressive arts therapy supervision (including distance supervision via Skype or Google) for students, new professionals and advanced professionals. For attorneys and courts, send a formal request for consultation or forensic expert opinion on children's and adults' drawings and art expressions, trauma-related issues and custody and criminal cases.
Trauma-Informed Art Therapy & Expressive Arts Therapy
Trauma-informed, arts-based therapies integrate neuroscience and neurodevelopment, somatic approaches, mindfulness practices, and resilience enhancement, using art making as the core approach. Trauma-informed expressive arts therapy is based on the idea that art expression is helpful in reconnecting implicit (sensory) and explicit (declarative) memories of trauma and in the treatment of PTSD (Malchiodi, 2003; 2008; 2012). In particular, it is an approach that assists the individual's capacity to self-regulate affect and modulate the body's reactions to traumatic experiences in the earliest stages to set the stage for eventual trauma integration and recovery.
Current News: Art Therapy, Expressive Arts Therapy Courses, Happenings and Events
Expressive Arts in Healthcare and Mind-Body Medicine at Five Branches University--This course will introduce participants to the basic principles of integrative medicine and current best practices and research on the application of the arts in healthcare and mind-body medicine. This course will clarify the similarities and differences among the various roles of child life specialist, artist-in-residence, arts facilitator, and expressive arts therapists (art, dance, poetry, drama, dance and expressive arts). Held at Five Branches University, San Jose, CA, July 12, 13 & 14, 2013. See Courses and Events page for more information.
