The Art Therapy Sourcebook [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

by Cathy Malchiodi (Author) "At one time or another we all have experienced the creative and personally enriching potential of art..." (more)
Key Phrases: art psychotherapy groups, mandala journal, family art therapy, United States, Carl Jung, Creative Growth (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Since our ancestors began drawing on cave walls, humans have intuitively known that expressing emotions through art was healthy. Now, 20,000 years later, Cathy Malchiodi brings us a smart overview of the use of art as a therapeutic tool. In this concise and easy-to-read book, Malchiodi treats the reader to fascinating case studies and valuable pointers in helping us to open up and explore our nature creatively. This book is ideally suited for people beginning to explore art Power of Expressing Sourcebook makes a major contribution to art therapy going mainstream. This is the most accessible and complete art therapy book ever published. It's a great achievement for Cathy Malchiodi and for art therapy. -- Shaun McNiff, PhD, ATR, HLM. Author, Trust the Process and Art as Medicine

Throughout history artistic expression has been recognized as a catalyst for healing. Art is an expression of mind and spirit, and cannot be left out of our equation of healing. Cathy Malchiodi's fascinating book shows how modern art therapy is being employed as a potent healthcare intervention. -- Larry Dossey, MD. Author, Prayer is Good Medicine and Healing Words

What makes mankind unique is not our ability to reason but our use of symbols. Read this excellent resource and learn to communicate and experience life fully. -- Bernie Siegel, MD. Author, Prescriptions for Living and Love, Medicine, and Miracles

Product Description
Art therapy is a process that helps people of all ages to express and understand feelings, interests, relationships, and self-perceptions through art activities. It has been useful in treating emotional trauma and grief, as a supplement to pain and symptom management, to address psychological distress, and to encourage self-growth and actualization. The Art Therapy Sourcebook is a guide for people who want to use art as a way of understanding themselves better. It starts with information on necessary supplies and takes the reader on a journey toward understanding the connection between artistic images and human emotions.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (December 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565658841
• ISBN-13: 978-1565658844
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #299,525 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

147 of 155 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you want to buy one book on art therapy, this is the one, January 19, 1999

By A Customer

At last there is a book on art therapy which is clear, well-written, and comprehensive. If you want to buy one book on art therapy, this one is excellent and I cannot recommend it enough. There are numerous illustrations, exercises, and examples of how art therapy can be used for personal transformation and healing. Also, read the endorsements, they speak more eloquently to the book's contents and inspirational qualities than I can.

77 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars most innovative and readable art therapy book in print, April 17, 2002

By A Customer

After reading a lot of *same old, same old* art therapy books, I was absolutely thrilled to discover THE ART THERAPY SOURCEBOOK. There are so many art therapy books that are dense and poorly written; Malchiodi is a clear and articulate writer who provides a savvy overview of the field of art therapy in a style that is inviting and exciting. Even if you have never heard of art therapy before, this book will inspire you to want to try your hand at art and will encourage your creative process. As a teacher of art therapy, I require all my first year art therapy and counseling students to read this book and as a therapist, I encourage my clients to read it too. Bravo! I look forward to more books by this author!

85 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's also good therapy for artists, March 20, 2001

By	"photoshoplifter" (Dallas, TX United States) - See all my reviews

If you've been through art school or worked as a professional artist, you're aware that it's difficult to create artwork without placing some value on the outcome of the piece. This book provides wonderful examples of how to free yourself from intimidation and competition in making art and how the creative process itself is valuable to the soul. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to gain more emotional satisfaction from making art and for any artist who wants to create art without the constraints of impersonal evaluation. It has helped me to strive to create more honest communication through my work, a valuable lesson worth far more than the price of this book.