Good-Enough Therapeutic Space Design: A Literature Review and Considerations for Expressive Arts Therapy

Author

Rebecca KreshakFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-16-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MA - Master of Arts

Department

Expressive Therapies

Advisor

Dr. Ara Parker

Abstract

This thesis investigates the role of therapeutic space in expressive arts therapy through an interdisciplinary and international literature review. Definitions of therapeutic space and therapeutic space design are explored. This paper is theoretically grounded in the notion of good-enough therapeutic space, which is adapted from Winnicott’s (as cited in Davis & Wallbridge, 2004/1981) concept of a good-enough holding environment and Moskowitz-Corrois’s (2018) understanding of therapeutic space. Personal internship experiences of not-good-enough therapeutic space and a personal arts-based inquiry conceptualizing good-enough therapeutic space are discussed. Research from non-therapeutic and therapeutic settings, for both general and specific populations, are surveyed. The literature establishes the positive impact that therapeutic space design can have on the therapeutic relationship. A checklist of good-enough therapeutic space design considerations for the expressive arts therapist, inspired by Liddicoat (2018), is drafted and presented. These considerations are accessible, adaptable, and applicable to the expressive arts. The roles of the therapist and client in the design process, limitations of this paper, and directions for further research are identified.

Creative Commons License

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

Recommended Citation

Kreshak, Rebecca, "Good-Enough Therapeutic Space Design: A Literature Review and Considerations for Expressive Arts Therapy" (2020). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 307.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/307