Introduction to Creative Arts and Specializations in Counseling

Catalog description

This course provides an introduction to the basic concepts and practices of the uses of creative arts in clinical and educational counseling settings, including the history, current and future trends, rational, and benefits of using artistic methods in counseling. The class is designed for mental health and school practitioners interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the neuroscience, theory and practice of the use of mediating properties found in the creative arts such as visual arts, imagery, dance/movement, music, humor, and drama and other modalities such as animal-assistant, horticulture, and wilderness/nature therapy. Emphasis will be placed on experiential learning activities and exercises to introduce these modalities as they are used independently or in conjunction with the therapeutic process. The function and range of professional practices and specialization/credentialing processes will also be introduced in this course.