Expressive Art Therapy | Healing souls through art -

Running head: INTERMODAL APPROACH IN ART THERAPY
INTERMODAL APPROACH IN ART THERAPY
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

INTERMODAL APPROACH IN ART THERAPY
1
Introduction:
For a few decades, various literature on art psychotherapy addressed an essential question
that whether art therapy is effective in improving the quality of life of the patients. A significant
number of individuals around the globe are suffering from severe mental illness that can be
effectively reduced through various psychological interventions (Laws & Conway, 2019). In
Australia, 1 in every 5 Australians is suffering from at least one mental illness at some point in
their existence which further intensifying the need for unique therapies in the psychology that
use an intermodal approach to improve the quality of life of the patients. Art psychotherapy is
one such unique psychological therapy that uses the inter-model approach and uses creative
techniques such as drawing, painting, and colouring for assisting individuals with mental illness
to express themselves so that therapists can examine the emotional undertone of the art
(Kalmanowitz & Ho, 2016). With the assistance of credential art therapists, patients can decipher
the nonverbal messages, symbols, and metaphors that lead to a better understanding of their
feelings (Ørjasæter et al., 2018). The fundamental application of the art psychotherapy is to
improve self-esteem, relieve stress, manage addiction, reduce symptoms of anxiety and
depression as well as develop a healthy coping mechanism for overcoming physical illness
(Megranahan & Lynskey, 2018). The target population of art therapy is children, adults, and
adolescents where therapists work with individuals, couples or groups in various settings. Austin
and MacLeod (2017), suggested that no artistic talent is necessary for art therapy to succeed
since the aim of art psychotherapy is to find the association between creative choice and inner
life of the clients. Hence, the purpose of this assignment is to provide an in-depth analysis of the
strength of using an intermodal approach in art psychotherapy. This assignment will discuss how
the intermodal approach helps one find meaning and insight of life, skills, and awareness

INTERMODAL APPROACH IN ART THERAPY
2
required to involve in the therapy and what challenges may arise while working within the
intermodal approach in the following paragraphs.
Discussion:
In the clinical setting, especially in the mental health setting, four elements of art
products such as line, shape, and colours are often used to observe the mental state of the youth
or adults as the underlying assumptions of the therapist is that these elements reflect the mental
health of the clients (Gopalkrishnan, 2018). Therefore, by observing these elements of the
therapist can formulate their perspective on functioning, challenges, strength, and supports of the
client. In this inter-modal approach, the therapist uses various modalities like dance, music,
poetry, storytelling and so on. It is also known as multimodal. There are many types of therapies
such as integrative therapy, expressive therapy, and cognitive-behavioural. For this assignment,
the chosen intermodal approach is expressive therapy where personal experience will be
incorporated to reflect on the strength of using the therapy (Darling, 2017). The application of
this expressive therapy, individuals within personal growth work, individuals with mental illness,
and children with disabilities like autism, parents, and victims of abuse.
Strength of using an intermodal approach in art psychotherapy:
The arts psychotherapy various inter-model approach in the clinical setting such as
dancing, poetry, theatre, and music to induce an inborn desire to create art. One such therapy is
expressive therapy which combines psychology and creative process for promoting emotional
growth and healing (Appel et al., 2018). This is also called multi-arts or intermodal which is used
as a therapeutic tool for initiating changes amongst the patients. Southwell (2016), suggested
that the difference between conventional arts psychotherapy and expressive therapy as an
intermodal approach within arts psychotherapy that while arts psychotherapy is based on one

INTERMODAL APPROACH IN ART THERAPY
3
particular art, expressive therapy incorporate various art form. One of the major strength of using
such intermodal approach in art psychotherapy is that it provides insight and assist patients with
mental illness find the meaning of life who already lost their purpose of living a meaningful life
(Fay, Fay & Walla, 2016). Akram and Khan (2017), suggested that expressive therapy
incorporates dance and music which improve the ability of individuals with mental illness such
ability to express feelings that are difficult to discuss and stimulate imagination and creativity.
The patients with mental illness such as mood disorders, anxiety and depression, addictions,
trauma, and eating disorders, impulsive behaviours tend to have low self-esteem, lacks the
motivation of living purpose of life and in severe cases exhibit they tend to have suicide ideation
which may lead to sudden death (Allen, Carter & Pearson, 2019). Within this intermodal, the
therapist assumes the emotional undertone of the creative activities and helps individuals to
resolve conflicts, interpersonal skills and manage behaviours and reduce stresses and increase
self-esteem.
Baker et al. (2018), suggested that expressive therapy for children with behavioural issues
usually incorporates music, movement or finger movements as creative techniques. In this case,
the therapist observes the behaviours, possesses and impulses of the children and encourages
them to talk about their experiences. On the other hand, journals, storytelling, and poetry are part
of this intermodal approach which help older clients to make their life meaningful of their life
(Fay, Fay & Walla, 2016). Throughout the process, the therapists assist clients with the non-
verbal language of creativity for communicating their inner feelings that were not previously
available to clients or clients were uncomfortable to discuss.
Historical background and way of assisting patients:

INTERMODAL APPROACH IN ART THERAPY
4
To discuss how it can help clients to find their meaning, it is crucial to incorporate the
historical background of therapy. McNiff in the year 1992, proposes arts have consistently been
part of a healing process throughout the history of mankind as these therapies were used in Egypt
to encourage individuals with the mental illness for engaging with creative activity and Greeks
used drama and music in the rehabilitation centres to improve mental illness (McNiff, 2019).
Hence, the idea of arts in the psychological interventions emerged from the periods of the 1800s
and the 1900s psychotherapist used it as a moral therapy. Music therapy is the most widely
researched modality and used modality because physiological, as well as behavioural reactions to
music and music therapy interventions, can be quantified. Hoffmann et al. (2016), suggested that
self-expression through arts can recapitulate past experiences and encourage clients to
communicate using raw expressions so that clients can overcome troubling memories or
behaviours (Kern & Tague, 2017). The therapist generally does not seek to interpret individual
drawing rathe facilitates the discovery of meaning and understanding of life. Considering my
personal experiences, before attending this subject, I was unaware of the intermodal approach
and how it can assist mental health patients to discover their purpose of life. However, after
attending the class, I have gathered the insight that through this therapy, mentally ill patients can
discover the core meaning of life. I have an interest in listening to music and dancing and hence,
after involving in the subject, I started developing interesting in different modalities. While I had
no experience of making poetry, after attending this class, I developed skills for making poetry
which also provided me an in-depth insight into a purposeful life. Hence, it is effective in
improving the mental health of the patients.
The therapist in this modality, use low skills high sensitivity approach which in other
words suggested that in order to involve in therapy, one does not have to possess artistic ability

INTERMODAL APPROACH IN ART THERAPY
5
and lack of ability assists them to be sensitive towards the experience they will experience while
engaging within in the play, poetry, dancing or any kind of movements (Regev & Cohen-Yatziv,
2018). Hence, in other words, the therapist sensitizes their clients to the materials they are using
as in the beginning, they allow their clients to choose a material that is right for them (Spinazzola
et al., 2017). Consequently, the primary outcomes include, the discovery of experiences or skills
patients were unaware of, improvement of communication and interpersonal skills, ability to
share in a safe nurturing environment, assists with the development of motor skills and physical
coordination and ability to identify the feeling and blocks to emotional expression and personal
growth (Deaton & Ohrt, 2019).
Skills and awareness required to work with an intermodal approach:
Similar to any psychotherapy, the intermodal approach in art psychotherapy initiative
with a discussion of the individuals, concerns of family, group and current issues. The therapist
in such psychotherapy usually explores these issues through talking or encouraging clients to
engage in the dramatic dialogues by incorporate four elements such as self-expression, active
participation, imagination, and the mind-body connection (Trivedi & Rejani, 2016). Hence, in
this context, therapists require various skills that they will use to empower patients, validate and
develop therapeutic relationships and provide feedback, guide and educate (Torgerson, 2018). In
order to be a therapist, one of the fundamental skills of art therapy every therapist must acquire
include the ability to interpret line shapes and colours or another form of arts which is
expressions of the clients. The psychotherapists must have excellent verbal communication and
nonverbal communication skills, active listening skills and observational skills since it will
provide comfort to the patients and enable patients to share their concerns (Torgerson, 2018).
The therapist must acquire excellent conflict management skills and the ability to handle