Focusing-Oriented Art Therapy: Accessing the Body's Wisdom and Creative Intelligence

Focusing is a great way to gain personal insight and create transformations. This is a MUST READ for anyone interested in art therapy, focusing, psychotherapy, or personal growth and change. Focusing helps individuals to take notice of and listen to the body's innate wisdom. It allows people to use their mind/body connection to foster self-growth. Art is a natural facilitator of this process. This is an excellent book to be read in conjunction with Gendlin's books "Focusing" and "Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy." But it is not necessary to have read those before reading Rappaport's book. Her book provides the foundation in focusing that beginners (like myself) need. It is easy to use because of its simple language and step-by-step organization. The explanation of the technique is supported with clinical examples including dialogue and client artwork. There are also chapters on how to adapt the technique to use with special populations, like trauma survivors and people with chronic illnesses. Even though the book is accessible enough for beginners, seasoned practitioners should also read it. Rappaport's incorporation of the arts with focusing is unique and the book is the first of its kind. I read every last word of this book. I couldn't put it down! I have already started using Rappaport's techniques for myself and have had cathartic, insightful, and inspirational experiences. Read it not just for your clients, but for yourself!

Required for an art therapy Helping Relatjonships class. Book content is good, something I've come back to for group work during internship well after the class was over.

For anyone just learning about the Expressive Arts Therapies, this book is well organized and well written and gives great examples of how different modalities can be used. It is making learning about this subject much easier, more enjoyable, and definitely easier to remember.

This is an excellent, first rate book. I met the author when I took a weekend course and she was just as good a teacher in person as she is in writing - generous, authentic and super committed to her work! I highly recommend...

technique and approach that is mind opening and flexibly applicable. clearly stated with well explained background to both art therapy and the focusing technique.

Dr Laury Rappaport's newly published book is too exquisite for words. Its beauty from the cover, throughout every page, is a treasure . The simplicity of her words of research and guidance on the pages read as if she were in the room with reader hearing her gentle voice and feeling her safety, truth and her deepest core belief of the healing power of "Focusing "accompanied with Art Therapy . What a treasure for the therapy profession, for Art Therapists, Focusing Practitioners, and all who seek soul depth guidance. Eleanor Appleyard, M.A.( Creative Arts)

This book clearly explains the method of Focusing and covers a great deal of ground in the way that the technique can be used in a variety of settings with different client groups. Interspersed with helpful guided imagery, the text is never boring, dry or overly intellectual. And there are many examples of therapy sessions, to show how focusing and art therapy work so well together. I would recommend this book to anybody interesting in focusing. It's easy to read and very informative.

Can't wait to read this book on the following chapters for my education

This book combines the focusing oriented therapeutic approach with art therapy. It is an excellent resource that allows clients to engage mindfully and compassionately with memory contained within their bodies in whatever form that manifests. This approach allows the sensory based traumatic memories to be released from the body, and clears the space for the cognitive narrative processing of trauma. It contains scripted focusing processes that models how to use the approach effectively. The author provides a broad range of therapeutic situations this can be used in (. For dissociative clients, this method provides a means to gain control over the dissociative response and the intrusive sensory somatic and intrusive memories experienced. Combined with an understanding of structural dissociation, this book becomes an even more useful resource for therapists working survivor symptoms.

The book was in excellent shape and was delivered quickly. What more does one need? I was a little bit disappointed that the art images in the book where in black and white. Since the meaning of the art is of utmost importance in this book a choice for colour pictures would have been more appropriate, but overall I'm very happy.