Art Therapy Online: Experiences, observations, discoveries
Vaida Adomaitienė
Vilnius, Lithuania
Vaida is an art therapy lecturer at Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, a member of European Federation of Art, and of the Lithuanian Association of Art Therapy. She is an art therapist at Centro Outpatient Clinic and VšĮ “Nerimo klinika”. Vaida has a Master’s degree in Medicine and Health, study programme – Art therapy. She is the author of more than 10 articles on art therapy, and has been a speaker and participant of numerous scientific conferences. Her area of academic interest include art therapy and its development, its impact on various treatments, and the importance of art therapy from psychological, psychotherapeutic and art historical point of view.
Art Therapy online has become a natural phenomenon. The pandemic taught us that much. I see it as a great advantage – I don’t think I would have been brave enough to suggest meeting online with my clients before the pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, I had the opportunity to lead art therapy groups, individual consultations, and to teach seminars. Of course, the experience is not the same as a live meeting – it’s different, though not lesser. Sometimes the experience of being online itself becomes the trigger that can help unearth inner themes faster.
What do I find important before starting art therapy online? Before the first virtual meetings I inform and remind clients about the mediums used in art therapy, additional mediums that can be used, I suggest a creative approach to things already at home (magazines, cosmetics, etc.). Clients are perfectly capable of forming their creative kit. Usually, the mediums differ from ones I store in my art therapy room, but that doesn’t mean therapy loses its value. The process happens with the means available to the person. Therefore, the important part is helping the person to get ready for the virtual meeting.
“If the need occurs, I reinforce the structure of the meeting. Why? Clear boundaries help me maintain contact, nurture interpersonal connection and create a safe space.”
Example 1
While getting the means ready, I discuss the matter of having a safe space. If paper and paint are easy to come by, the safe space is usually a more complicated one. Clients – especially in a group setting – must understand that they are responsible not only for their own but others’ confidentiality as well. In-person or online, group setting is a place of openness and vulnerability, where drawings are considered equal members of the group; it is extremely important to remind group members that family members, neighbors, uncles, and aunts should never be seeing or hearing other group members. Much can and does happen, so reminding members of group rules is highly beneficial – especially those of confidentiality. If clients find it hard to grasp the importance of why, I encourage a group discussion about everyone’s feelings on the issue. Sometimes, sharing leads to sensitive personal themes, sometimes – sensitive and open creations. You see what I mean? Creating and talking about the experience of being online is just as important. This is new to us all. Unknown. Sometimes daunting. Sometimes fun. A client turns off their camera or microphone when they want to hide. What a great opportunity to stay, experience and understand what is unwelcome to be heard, seen and shown.
It’s no secret - boundaries in therapy are extremely important to me. Boundaries in online therapy are of equal importance. When creating a therapeutic connection and secure contact, it is important to be clear when talking about boundaries. I take my time logging in mindfully. We discuss the issue of being late. As in-person so online, I have refused entrance to participants, who were late more than discussed in group prior. I remind everyone that the therapist is in charge of the time. Since it is easy to lose track of time online, it is necessary for the therapist to communicate this clearly. I remind the group that for the therapeutic relationship to form it needs to be “here and now” without phones, tablets, and social media. I’m clear in communicating the end of the session. If the need occurs, I reinforce the structure of the meeting. Why? Clear boundaries help me maintain contact, nurture interpersonal connection and create a safe space.
“Whether the drawings became schematic or expressive, or they disappear altogether – it’s important that the process is happening. The therapeutic connection is developing.”
“Drawings. Are they different?” – is the question I get from colleagues. It depends. Often with the change of meeting space, the drawing changes as well. No, neither for better nor for worse. Just different. While drawing online, clients reveal different facets of themselves, different themes. Sometimes drawings take on a schematic look, the creator draws in small symbols arranging them like words. Sometimes drawings grow to grand proportions with powerful strokes, vibrant colors; assemblages, sculptures, collages extended by the movement of the body. Why does it happen like that? It can be caused by the choice of the medium. It can also be caused by the person being in their own home, being alone in their space, a child in nature – safe, confident, and especially open in experiencing the moment. It can be caused by an unbearable feeling of insecurity while being at home, when the body is shaking, and the pressure is so palpable it’s sparkling. Whether the drawings became schematic or expressive, or they disappear altogether – it’s important that the process is happening. The therapeutic connection is developing.
Sometimes clients’ drawings are hard to believe. Here’s one client (example 1) who, after half a year in group therapy, turned off her camera and shared a flower drawn on a sticky note. The initial group reaction was amazement. Unexpected refusal to participate, in it – a revelation of letting herself get angry, allowing herself to disobey an agreement and experienced anger until the drawing became inevitable. She placed a dot and started growing a flower (2-3 minutes until the end of allotted drawing time). While reflecting, she was proud of herself for rebelling and succeeding in it; seeing how this behavior grew into new occurrences and themes.
Example 7
Another client, five minutes into art therapy online, did what she dreamed of for a very long time. Feelings and experiences were oppressing expression, communication, her own position, and her ability to maintain personal wishes (which were her goals). In our meetings we were moving towards that liberation and after some time she dared drawing what she always wanted to draw – a vagina (vulva) (example 2). I am certain being online was crucial in the bravery needed to accomplish this dream.
“The pandemic as a whole – though now a part of everyday life – is still triggering. Wanting safety, closeness and openness is more pronounced. If we look at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, it seems that the safety area has been impacted in all of us.”
Sometimes people share their creative space, seeking to include other group members in their own environment (example 3). A subconscious invitation to come over, to overstep the virtuality. A group online is deprived of being present among others, experiencing and sometimes touching each other; it triggers themes of intimacy and relationships that often appear in the process.
The pandemic as a whole – though now a part of everyday life – is still triggering. Wanting safety, closeness and openness is more pronounced (see examples 4, 5, 6, and 7). If we look at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, it seems that the safety area has been impacted in all of us. In the drawings I notice a need of a safe space, a safe relation, and a wish to stay there as long as possible.
Summing up I will briefly share the aspects of working online that I found most important at the present. As of today, I have received my clients’ feedback on how online art therapy is efficient, meaningful, and gainful. I have been conducting art therapy online for two years now: I have witnessed various drawings being born, sensitive revelations; I believe some of them, if not conducted online, might have been revealed in a different state and at a different time.
To me it proves that art therapy can easily happen online.