Teaching a Course on the Arts and Counseling: Experiential Learning in Counselor Education

Abstract

The authors offer a rationale, structure, and method for teaching an experientially based class in using the arts as an adjunct to counseling. They describe the benefits to counseling students, review literature documenting the effective uses of the arts in counseling, and recommend textbooks and other resources. Professional and ethical considerations are noted, suggestions for collaborative teaching are offered, and the authors' experience in piloting such a course is documented.

Art-Based Supervision Techniques

“…Many of the same concerns inherent in including artmaking in counseling and counselor education are shared with the practice of supervision. For example, Ziff and Beamish (2004) described the necessity of training in the use of the arts before implementing techniques into professional practice, Hammond and Gantt (1998) delineated ethical issues surrounding treatment of the artwork, and Morrissette and Gadbois (2006) described the potential for discomfort when participating in experiential techniques. Ethical concerns related to using art-based supervision strategies tend to coalesce around the topics of practicing outside of the scope of professional training, handling of artwork, and ensuring supervisee well-being.…”

“…For example, Ziff and Beamish (2004) conducted a course to teach the use of arts in counseling. Their class introduced master's-degree students to a range of hands-on creative arts such as storytelling, movement and music therapy, visual art, and psychodrama.…”

“…P. Deaver and C. Shiflett Professionals who want to routinely include art-based techniques in supervision are ethically bound to pursue ongoing training. Ziff and Beamish (2004) recommended that professionals who have experience in at least one art modality provide this training. Recognizing their specific skills, art therapists are increasingly being asked to design workshops to enhance knowledge of art-based techniques of non-art therapists (Kalmanowitz & Potash, 2010).…”

Analysis of the Effectiveness of Army Helicopter Flight Training

“…While experiential learning theory has received considerable attention in the research literature (Galloway & Goldenberg, 2004;Gosen & Washbush, 2004;Henderson, 2004), and continues to be well supported as the basis for cumculum and instructional design in many educational settings (Hornyak & Page, 2004;Ziff & Beamish, 2004), its application has not been empirically examined within the context of military fight training. Given the relatively high cost of aviator training in both civilian and military flight training programs, the effectiveness of this approach to military flight training is worth studying.…”

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Flight School XXI

“…While experiential learning theory has received considerable attention in the research literature (Galloway & Goldenberg, 2004;Gosen & Washbush, 2004;Henderson, 2004), and continues to be well supported as the basis for curriculum and instructional design in many educational settings (Hornyak & Page, 2004;Ziff & Beamish, 2004), the application of the experiential learning theory has not been empirically examined within the context of military flight training. Given the relatively high cost of aviator training in both civilian and military flight training programs, it is necessary to empirically examine the effectiveness of this new approach to military flight training.…”