A Brief Evaluation to Identify Level of Satisfaction of Art Therapy with Undergraduate Ukrainian Students
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A Brief Evaluation to Identify Level of Satisfaction of Art Therapy with Undergraduate Ukrainian Students Theresa Van Lith 1 & Lindsay Bullock 1 & Iryna Horbal 2 & Alexander Lvov 3
Published online: 17 May 2017 # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2017
Abstract A particular political and social mindset toward mental health support has impacted how and why people seek counseling and therapy in Ukraine. Although a relatively small and developing field, art therapy is beginning to provide a means for assisting cultural and identity development for young adult Ukrainians during a time of civil and political unrest. Cross culturally, art therapy has been found to assist young people in developing a healthy self-concept by providing them with a realistic and less defensive view of themselves and their environment. This paper evaluates the development of art therapy in Ukraine, and examines the practice of art therapy with undergraduate Ukrainian students. First, it details findings from a questionnaire with university students to determine their perception of art therapy. Analysis of these findings resulted in identifying their level of satisfaction toward art therapy, and common reasons why art therapy was sought. Second, the article provides a brief vignette to demonstrate how art therapy was used with undergraduate university students to assist with processing negative memories associated with living under the Soviet era. Finally, the article concludes with a discussion about how to tailor art therapy so that instead of being perceived as a cure it promotes self-care, thereby helping overcome the stigma associated with seeking therapeutic services. Keywords Art therapy . Counseling . Ukraine . University students . Cultural identity
* Theresa Van Lith [email protected]
1
Department of Art Education, Florida State University, William Johnston building, 143 Honors Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1231, USA
2
Psychological Department, Lviv Ivan Franko National University, Lviv, Ukraine
3
Department of Acute States and Rehabilitation, Lviv Regional State Clinical Psychiatric Hospital, Lviv, Ukraine
Int J Adv Counselling (2017) 39:282–294
283
Introduction After inviting international art therapists to assist with a study involving clients’ perceptions of art therapy, a conversation began between the first author and a Ukrainian art therapist, Iryna Horbal, about how art therapy was practiced in Ukraine. To gain further understanding about this, the second author used social media to connect with other Ukrainian art therapists. As a result, several online conversations occurred, in which the second author enquired into the rich cultural traditions of art making, Ukrainian understandings of therapy, and how art therapy has been practiced in Ukraine. To formalize the inquiry, Iryna Horbal and Alexander Lvov implemented a questionnaire seeking perceptions of art therapy from students receiving counseling at a Ukrainian University Counseling Clinic. Horbal also collected clients’ artworks and their responses from atte
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