Art Therapy with Incarcerated Women Who Have Experienced the Death of a Loved One

Abstract

Although the number of women entering prison has continued to soar over the last 2 decades, little attention has been paid to them in health care research. Research with incarcerated women who are grieving has received even less attention. This pilot study was based on the results of previous studies as well as the authors' combined clinical experience in the prison setting and with art therapy. Individual 1-hour art therapy sessions were offered to 8 incarcerated bereaved women for a period of 8 weeks. A variety of materials were used with a specific purpose. The women were interviewed before and after the art therapy was implemented. Seven of the women described positive outcomes following the art therapy intervention and recommended that the program be continued and increased in length.

A qualitative systematic review of service user and service provider perspectives on the acceptability, relative benefits, and potential harms of art therapy for people with non‐psychotic mental health disorders

“…One of these studies provided data from patients (Lobban, ) and the other from GPs who referred to art therapy (Turnbull & Omay, ). Four studies were conducted in the United States (Collie, ; Ferszt, Hayes, DeFedele, & Horn, ; McCaffrey, ; Sharf, ) with one of these studies also including participants from Canada (Collie, ). Three of these studies provided data from patients (Collie, ; Ferszt et al ., ; McCaffrey, ) and the final study providing data from art therapists (Sharf, ).…”

“…Four studies were conducted in the United States (Collie, ; Ferszt, Hayes, DeFedele, & Horn, ; McCaffrey, ; Sharf, ) with one of these studies also including participants from Canada (Collie, ). Three of these studies provided data from patients (Collie, ; Ferszt et al ., ; McCaffrey, ) and the final study providing data from art therapists (Sharf, ). The remaining five studies were conducted in European countries, Sweden (Oster, Astrom, Lindh, & Magnusson, ), Germany (Geue, Gotze, Buttstadt, Kleinert, & Singer, ), France (Rhondali & Filbet, ), Italy (Forzoni, Perez, Martignetti, & Crispino, ), and Switzerland (Anzules, Haennl, & Golay, ), and provided data from patients.…”

“…Freedom of expression emerged as important across a range of studies (Collie, ; Ferszt et al ., ; Geue et al ., ; Lobban, ; Oster et al ., ; Turnbull & Omay, ; Wood et al ., ). A patient commented, ‘It can touch the feelings that are buried… the art frees you up to touch deeper down that [sic] you would verbally’ (Turnbull & Omay, ).…”

“…A patient commented, ‘It can touch the feelings that are buried… the art frees you up to touch deeper down that [sic] you would verbally’ (Turnbull & Omay, ). Specifically art therapy was thought as of a safe place to express emotions, such as fear (Collie, ; Ferszt et al ., ; Geue et al ., ; Lobban, ; Oster et al ., ; Turnbull & Omay, ) and anger (Collie, ), via a non‐verbal medium. Recipients of art therapy expressed that it gave them a sense of empowerment.…”

Group Art Therapy With Incarcerated Women

“…Inmates create a variety of items including portraits, crafts, and greeting cards that are traded for commodities and personal items (Harrington, 1997). Creative activities allow inmates to experience autonomy, self-expression, and self-exploration and provide them with opportunities to express emotions in an institutional setting that is rigid and controlling (Ferszt et al, 2004). Verbal expression of some emotions may be viewed by correctional staff and other inmates as a weakness or as a threat, but it is viewed as appropriate when expressed through images (Ferszt et al, 2004).…”