Date of Award

Spring 5-17-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Expressive Therapies

Major

Expressive Therapies

First Advisor

Dr. E Kellogg

Abstract

This literature review investigates the therapeutic qualities and clinical applications of clay within the framework of expressive arts therapy (ExAT), with particular focus on sensorimotor, somatic, and developmental interventions. Drawing upon the expressive therapies continuum (ETC), this review synthesizes emerging research highlighting clay's kinesthetic and tactile properties as key mechanisms for facilitating emotional expression, accessing unconscious material, and promoting psychological resilience. Evidence is presented for specialized therapeutic modalities such as clay art therapy (CAT) and Clay Field Work, which engage the body-mind connection to support trauma integration and emotion regulation. Findings demonstrate that clay's inherent adaptability and sensory richness allow for non-verbal communication; concretization and symbolization of internal experiences; and transformative therapeutic outcomes, particularly in populations experiencing complex grief, developmental trauma, and low socio-economic vulnerability. Clay-based ExAT interventions are evidenced to align with multiple resilience factors across emotional, cognitive, and behavioral domains, however, this review identifies a significant gap in longitudinal research and underscores the need for formal ceramic arts education in ExAT training to ensure safety and efficacy in clinical practice. This review contributes to the growing body of knowledge advocating for clay’s distinct role in somatic and expressive therapeutic methodologies.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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