Date of Award

Spring 5-16-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Major

Expressive Therapies

First Advisor

Dr. Raquel Chapin Stephenson, ATR-BC, LCAT

Abstract

Older adults living with dementia have often been erroneously perceived as inhabiting a singular lived experience marked by degeneration in cognitive functioning and considerable losses in self-identity. There is substantial literature to suggest that multisensory stimulation and art therapy are well-positioned as conduits for self-expression. However, a gap exists related to artistic media and how they may be implemented and tailored for people with dementia. This capstone explores the paradigm of selfhood as a subjective essence of being that may be accessed through creative expression and sensory engagement. Arts-based directives were implemented through a person-centered expressive arts therapy framework. Two resident participants living with dementia were observed over five individual sessions within the memory care neighborhood of an assisted living facility. Attunement as a co-embodied experience within the therapeutic relationship, emotional regulation elicited through art media, and expressions of agency and accomplishment emerged as themes to suggest artmaking offers a bridge for people with dementia to restore access to self and honor their subjective experience. Findings of this study may be used as a foundation for deeper exploration in collaborative, group work, as well as a critical opportunity to expand how associations with artistic media and embodiment are understood cross-culturally.

Creative Commons License

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

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