Date of Award
Spring 4-27-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Major
Expressive Therapies
First Advisor
Raquel Stephenson
Abstract
This thesis used the implementation of an original experiential that sought to justify the relationship between Jungian art therapy, symbolism, and the use of art therapy with adolescents in mental health programs such as a partial hospitalization program (PHP). Through the direction of a facilitator, four groups of clients in an expressive arts group at the program were encouraged to explore themes of empowerment through the use of symbols and unconscious thought. This was done by using the creation of a power object to represent a superpower that would fulfill a missing need and encourage the identification of traits, settings, and people that provide those needs. The results of this research highlighted the communicated themes of safety, views of self, and independence while also allowing the participants to have greater emotional access to existing sources of empowerment. These results show promising effects on the establishment of a positive view of self and the beginnings of a more empowered living experience, and how the establishment of a symbolic representation can facilitate this.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Pancost, Grace Anne, "Using Symbolism and Jungian Art Therapy Techniques to Promote Empowerment in the Treatment of Adolescents in a Partial Hospitalization Program" (2025). Expressive Therapies Theses. 35.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_therapies_theses/35
