The Benefits of Large-Scale Movement Art in Trauma-Informed Art Therapy

by Ryan Robson

This thesis presents a single case study of a 9-week trauma-informed treatment intervention for a woman who had experienced loss, trauma and addiction. I will be referring to the participant with the pseudonym Ally. The treatment explored the question, “What are the benefits of incorporating large-scale movement art into a trauma-informed art therapy process?” My literature review is broken down into three chapters. Chapter one explores loss, trauma and addiction. Chapter two explores a trauma-informed approach and chapter three explores creative techniques that inspired the treatment. For my arts-based research methodology I created post session figure drawings depicting Ally’s experience and free wrote insights gained through the response art. feThe protocol outlines how I paralleled the session structure to the phases of the Psycho-cybernetics model which areUnfreezing, Producing, Dialoging/Examining/Sharing and Closure (Hinz, 2009). Each session consisted of six directives including a check in mandala, large-scale movement art, spontaneous art, free writing, a multi-session mandala and a take-home magnet distilling the essence of the session. As an anti-oppressive feminist, I remained authentic and created this thesis with Ally. My intention was to provide her with a safe container to move, be present, integrate past experiences, build resiliency and get excited about the future.The data was organized into a thematic analysis that is broken down into four benefits including, increased self awareness through art making, developed coping strategies through body-focused intervention, strengthened resiliency and recreated sense of self in the world.