Date of Award

Spring 5-22-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MA - Master of Arts

Department

Expressive Therapies

Advisor

Kelvin Ramirez, PhD, ATR-BC, LCAT

Abstract

Expressive arts therapy (ExAT) is a therapeutic approach that incorporates visual art, music, drama, and dance/movement into the counseling environment. An essential element in ExAT practice is the intermodal transfer, an intentional shift between arts modalities to enhance clients’ understanding and realization. Currently, no theoretical guidelines for intermodal transfers exist in the field of ExAT. In search of a theoretical structure, the author of this Capstone Thesis proposed that the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) informed intermodal transfers. Predominantly presented as an art therapy approach, the ETC originally intended to include all expressive therapies. Yet, there is minimal recent literature that directly connected the ETC with the therapeutic modalities of music, dance/movement, drama, and expressive arts. To further illustrate this relationship and suggest a potential framework for intermodal transfers, this literature review analyzed the ETC and linked it to each of the expressive therapies modalities through commonalities and neuroscience findings. The concepts and information gleaned through research confirmed and validated the ETC's ability to inform ExAT intermodal transfers.

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Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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