The creative artists support group: a therapeutic environment to promote creativity and mental health through person-centered facilitation. (3rd April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Benjamin, Elliot
• Is Part Of: Person-centered & experiential psychotherapies. Volume 17:Number 2(2018)
• Page Start: 111
• Page End: 131
• Publication Date: 2018-04-03
• Subjects: Creative artists support group -- person-centered psychotherapy -- group facilitation -- autoethnographic research; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Experiential psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Client-centered psychotherapy -- Periodicals; 616.8914
• DOI: 10.1080/14779757.2018.1440624
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1477-9757

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In this article, a variety of what the author refers to as creative artists support groups are described. The descriptions illustrate a great deal of divergence in terms of structure and range of group leadership or facilitation, ranging from virtually leaderless groups modeled along the lines of the structure of 12-step support groups, to groups led by a trained psychotherapist who directs the group with a series of structured therapeutic techniques, to a Rogerian person-centered facilitator who gently guides the group with little or no structure whatsoever. Furthermore, person-centered group facilitators of creative artists support groups may adhere to the basic ingredients of Rogerian person-centered individual psychotherapy by relating to the essence of the person but may do so in a flexible way that allows for occasional active interventions inclusive of the facilitator sharing his or her relevant personal feelings. Utilizing autoethnographic research, inclusive of a description of the author's motivation in writing this article, illustrations are given of some therapeutic interactions from the author's own creative artists support group to demonstrate this kind of flexibility in the facilitation of a person-centered creative artists support group. It is concluded that a common foundational ingredient in all the creative artists support groups described in this article is the dual focus on creativity and mental health.