The Creative Connection

Dr. Natalie Rogers has developed a process called the Creative Connection "RM" that interweaves all the expressive arts -- movement, sound, drawing, painting, writing, and guided imagery -- to tap into the deep wellspring of creativity within each of us. The aim is to reclaim ourselves and then help others reclaim themselves as actively playful, spirited, and conscious individuals. Rogers emphasizes the importance of psychological safety and freedom while using the creative arts. This reflects her extensive work with her father, Carl Rogers, and a deep belief in his person-centered approach to counseling.

Photos and art help demystify this process, and various exercises range from the simple to the complex. Natalie's practical suggestions aid counselors who want to add expressive arts to their regular sessions.

Expressive Arts Exercises

xii

Preface

xiv

Acknowledgments

xx

A Path to Wholeness: Person-Centered Expressive Arts Therapy

1

(10)

What Is Expressive Arts Therapy?

1

(2)

What Is Person-Centered?

3

(1)

The Creative Connection

4

(1)

The Healing Power of Person-Centered Expressive Arts

5

(2)

Humanistic Principles

7

(4)

Facilitating Creativity

11

(16)

Conditions that Foster Creativity

13

(5)

Psychological Safety

15

(2)

Psychological Freedom

17

(1)

Offering Stimulating and Challenging Experiences

17

(1)

What Holds Us Back?

18

(2)

Blocks to Creativity

20

(7)

Beginning Explorations

27

(16)

Affirmations

28

(1)

Explorations

28

(12)

The Big Doodle

28

(2)

Doodle-Dance to Music

30

(1)

Collage

31

(2)

The Art Journal

33

(2)

The Writing Journal

35

(1)

Movement Explorations

36

(2)

Experiments with Sound

38

(2)

Your Secret Garden

40

(3)

The Creative Connection, Part I: Movement and Writing

43

(26)

The Creative Connection Concept

43

(7)

The Healing Aspects of Movement

50

(4)

Movement as Self-Discovery

54

(10)

``Panic and Joy''

58

(3)

``Overcoming Resistance''

61

(3)

Writing for Self-Expression

64

(3)

``I Feel Like a Diamond Today''

65

(1)

``The Highs and Lows''

66

(1)

``A Rose, When Cut, Rises''

66

(1)

Soul Retrieval

67

(2)

The Creative Connection, Part II: Art, Music, and Meditation

69

(26)

Healing Aspects of Visual Art

69

(1)

Self-Discovery Through Visual Art

70

(6)

Art that Comes from an Image: ``Spirit Bear''

71

(2)

Art that Comes from a Feeling

73

(1)

Painting Polarities: ``Dark/Light''

73

(1)

Expressing Pain: ``The Black Box''

74

(1)

Art that Begins with a Concept

75

(1)

Respecting the Artist and Her Product

76

(1)

Ways of Processing the Art

77

(2)

The Gestalt Art Process

77

(1)

Enlarging or Expanding a Section

78

(1)

Writing About the Art

78

(1)

Identifying with the Picture

78

(1)

Free Writing

78

(1)

Dialoguing

78

(1)

Storytelling

78

(1)

Moving Your Art

79

(1)

Posing

79

(1)

Dancing Your Picture or Sculpture

79

(1)

Sounding Your Art

79

(1)

Sounding for Healing

79

(7)

Music as Therapy

86

(4)

Meditation and Receptivity

90

(2)

The River of Creativity

92

(3)

Using Expressive Arts with Clients

95

(36)

The Benefits

96

(2)

The Facilitative Therapeutic Relationship

98

(6)

The Human as a Trustworthy Organism

98

(1)

Empathy, Congruence, and Unconditional Positive Regard

99

(4)

My Credo

103

(1)

Preparing the Physical Space and Materials

104

(1)

Preparing Yourself

105

(7)

Opening Sessions

106

(3)

Trusting the Client's Path

109

(1)

Multilayered Awareness

110

(1)

Time Management

111

(1)

Guidelines for the Client

112

(1)

Using Visual Arts

112

(5)

``This Is Me''

113

(1)

``This Is Me'' in Clay

114

(1)

A Life Mandala

114

(2)

A Life-Line

116

(1)

Opening the Session with Art

117

(1)

Using Movement

117

(9)

The Therapist as Moving Companion

120

(1)

Sounding with the Movement

120

(1)

The Museum Pose

121

(1)

An Issue

121

(1)

Moving from a Body Impulse

121

(5)

Using Sound

126

(2)

Using Writing

128

(1)

Conclusion

128

(3)

Further Applications of the Expressive Arts

131

(26)

The Basic Design

132

(2)

Applications for Addiction

134

(3)

Expressive Arts with Twelve-Step Programs

137

(2)

Exploring Drives

137

(2)

Life Inventory

139

(1)

Working with Sexual Abuse Survivors

139

(3)

Working with Overeaters

142

(1)

Grief Work

143

(3)

Saying Goodbye to a Loved One

145

(1)

Grief Work with Children

146

(1)

Working with Seniors

146

(2)

Applications for Life Transitions

148

(3)

Making a Decision

148

(1)

Endings

149

(1)

Limbo

150

(1)

New Beginnings

150

(1)

Working in Hospital Settings

151

(2)

Working with Creative Blocks

153

(2)

Summary

155

(2)

Accepting the Shadow, Embracing the Light

157

(26)

Discovering the Shadow

159

(7)

Integrating Polarities

166

(5)

``Agony Gives Birth to Three Eggs''

167

(1)

``Delicate Flower Turns Tiger''

168

(2)

``Black Bird Opens the Heart''

170

(1)

Embracing the Light

171

(5)

Liana's Journey

172

(3)

Summary

175

(1)

Exercises

176

(7)

Inner Polarities

176

(2)

Opening to Shadow and Light

178

(5)

Discovering Spirituality Through the Arts

183

(22)

What Is Spirituality?

185

(2)

Spirituality and Creativity

187

(2)

Spiritual Imagery

189

(11)

Gail's Herringbone

189

(7)

The Process Reviewed

196

(1)

Empathic Listening

196

(2)

Dialogue Practices

198

(1)

Being Fully Present

198

(1)

Physical Support

198

(1)

Transpersonal Aspects

199

(1)

The Discovery Process

200

(5)

Cross-Cultural Bridges

205

(16)

Expressive Arts in Latin American Dictatorships

207

(4)

Expressive Arts in the Soviet Union

211

(8)

Estonia: ``All We Have Been Told Is False!''

213

(1)

Moscow: ``A Window of Hope''

214

(3)

Gleanings

217

(2)

Summary

219

(2)

Creativity and Consciousness for the Future

221

(27)

Envisioning the Future

222

(1)

The Signposts

223

(20)

Trust in the Human Potential

224

(2)

Awareness Must Replace Denial

226

(1)

Creativity Awakens Energy

227

(2)

Integrating Polarities Brings Wholeness

229

(2)

Awareness Results in Global Consciousness

231

(1)

Embody Peace

232

(1)

Self-Empowerment Prepares Us for Action

233

(1)

Creativity Overrides Conformity

234

(2)

Seek Resolution

236

(1)

The Artist as Activist

237

(1)

Poetry Speaks Out

238

(5)

Practice Creative Response

243

(1)

Creative Vision Is the Guiding Star

244

(4)

Appendix: Materials

248

(4)

Bibliography

252

(6)

Index

258

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The Creative Connection

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials