Date of Award
Spring 5-21-2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
MA - Master of Arts
Department
Expressive Therapies
Advisor
Meg H. Chang, EdD, BC-DMT, LCAT
Abstract
A community engagement project was created and implemented, comprised of two events for which the author facilitated nature-based expressive arts experiences to explore the integration of nature and expressive arts therapy. The events were offered to two different groups of community members, one for nature-curious adults held outdoors on the trails of a local conservation trust, and another for young children at a local library. The healing impact of nature connection and nature connection experiences are explored through a literature review, event methods, and the author’s personal experiences of the project via artmaking. The results include an emphasis on nature as co-facilitator or co-therapist. The contribution and potential for nature-based expressive arts therapy to address the climate crisis as a way to heal human connection with nature is highlighted. By offering opportunities for nature-connection through the arts, awareness is spread about the importance of nature and the more-than-human world.
Creative Commons License
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Recommended Citation
McCrillis, Meghan, "Healing Our Connection with Nature: An Expressive Arts Community Engagement Project" (2022). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 610.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/610
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Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons, Art Therapy Commons, Community Health Commons, Counseling Commons, Counseling Psychology Commons, Other Mental and Social Health Commons, Other Psychiatry and Psychology Commons, Other Psychology Commons, Psychological Phenomena and Processes Commons
Rights
The author owns the copyright to this work.
