AP •  Art Therapy Thesis Writing

“Dear Dr. Burt,
It is a pleasure to have had the welcome opportunity to read, evaluate and endorse the Thesis written by Ms. April Penny, which was submitted to the Toronto Art Therapy Institute in partial fulfillment of the Graduate Diploma in Art Therapy in 2007.

Ms. Penny’s qualitative study, Art Therapy with Elders: Developing Meaningful Relationship Connections, assessed some of the potential and actual outcomes of supportive art therapy in fostering sense of self in the face of physical and psychosocial losses experienced by 5 Elders in long-term care. Ms. Penny was extremely skillful in elaborating her Methodology and theoretical framework. The Elder population and their domains were well described in the context of cohort, initially, and later on, as individuals in case by case descriptions. Her facilitation of art therapy with Elders was fully documented, especially relating to the exact nature of the specific choices made in terms of art materials (and other resources) and the directives offered to address each person’s unique needs in their ever evolving contexts. The Literature Review was complete in its exploration of Self Psychology theory as developed by Heinz Kohut. Its application in this study was well qualified. A good discussion of developmental perspectives on aging was also appropriately elaborated, along with the rationale for art therapy as a modality of choice for Elders, in terms of addressing their histories of cumulative losses and their ongoing need for meaning- making experiences to further a fulfilled and empowered sense of self.

It was in the explication of the Case Studies that the depth of Ms. Penny’s competence as an art therapist was fully revealed. The caring that informed her observations of each Elder, was translated into thoughtful, sensitive and creative responses to their individually expressed needs. Through approaches which were theoretically sound, Ms. Penny created an atmosphere of respect and possibility in every encounter with each one of them. Ever attentive, she found a way to artfully engage with their most authentic intentions for validation and acceptance of self.
Through such sensitive fostering of opportunities for choice, expression, reflection, meaning making, pleasure, sharing, and growth through artistic creation, Ms. Penny, as the art therapist, acknowledged not only the human being, but the human becoming – where self validation and self acceptance are ever foundational. In the concluding Discussion Ms. Penny was able to demonstrate how her study added to the literature on best practices in Elder care, through the elaboration of supportive art therapy as a therapeutic intervention. This was realized through her professional willingness to engage with situations characterized by ambiguity and complexity in a manner that was highly competent, good humoured and graceful.

Her partnership with the Elders, and her collaboration with other health care providers demonstrated a remarkably consistent and meaningful contribution to health care through art therapy. It was a pleasure to review this Thesis which has been so reflective of all that is grounded and all that is furthered in praxis. Ms. Penny has been an artist herself in the Thesis medium, in illuminating the ways in which theory informs practice, and how, most beautifully, practice informs theory.”