The South African Journal of Arts Therapies (SAJAT) is an online, open-access and peer-reviewed journal dedicated to fostering dialogue and research on Arts Therapies that focuses on Africa and the Global South. The primary focus is on South Africa, Africa and the Global South where arts and culture have had an instrumental role in forging identities and post-colonial scholarship that promotes cultural diversity, inclusivity and social justice. SAJAT promotes creative expression, imagination and innovative practices in arts therapy scholarship that furthers the practices of mental health services that actively respond to societal trauma and challenges facing children and adults. The journal aims to be representative of a variety of arts therapy modalities, cognisant of the value of a dynamic interface between the visual arts, dance, movement, music and drama and interdisciplinary fields that provides a platform for under-represented African arts therapists on the global stage and extends knowledge and education in the field for mental health and allied professionals. We welcome contributions from established and emerging scholars, and we are open to proposals for Themed Issues guest edited by leading scholars in relevant arts therapy modalities. There is no fee for article submission or processing. Online ISSN: 2960-1614
Exploring the role of music listening in cancer care: A systematic literature review
Cancer is a leading global health concern, affecting not only physical health but also psychological, social, emotional and spiritual well-being. Music listening has been explored as a supportive, non-pharmacological intervention within oncology care. The objective of this systematic literature review was to examine the role of music listening in cancer care, focusing on (1) the types of music listening interventions used and (2) the roles and outcomes of such interventions for individuals with cancer. The methods used were a systematic literature review. Literature was systematically searched across Répertoire International de Littérature Musicale (RILM), ScienceDirect, Music Periodicals Database, PsycINFO, Sage Journals, Google Scholar, and PubMed (2000–2024). Inclusion criteria: published literature, peer-reviewed studies involving individuals with cancer and interventions centred on music listening (e.g., pre-recorded, live, guided imagery, and music). Exclusion criteria: non-English, pre-2000, systematic reviews, unpublished literature, meta-analyses, and studies not isolating music listening. Thirteen studies met the criteria. Data were extracted and analysed thematically. Guided imagery and music (GIM), pre-recorded music (e.g., CD/MP3), live music listening, receptive music therapy, music-and-imagery, and group listening session interventions were conducted that ranged from 12 minutes to two hours, most commonly 30 minutes. Intervention outcomes clustered into five themes: (1) symptom reduction (pain, anxiety, depression, nausea), (2) benefits of music listening as a non-pharmacological intervention, (3) coping and enhancement of quality of life, (4) cognitive benefits (memory, distraction from intrusive thoughts, and (5) connectedness (intrapersonal, interpersonal, transpersonal). The conclusions drawn from the results are that music listening is a safe, feasible, cost-effective, and non-invasive adjunct to oncology care. Despite promising results, limitations such as small sample sizes and heterogeneity of study design restrict generalisability. Future research should utilise larger, more rigorous trials, explore digital/streaming music interventions, and evaluate long-term effects.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sarah Harrison https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Umkaphi: Ukukhanda ucwaningo besintu yobuciko olaphayo – reconceptualising ethics and reflexivity in narrative enquiry method for drama therapy research
Drama therapy’s central principles involve embodiment and projection. This article reflects on these principles as an undercurrent in the method chapter of my master’s thesis. I proffer that, as a novice narrative inquirer, I transformed the trauma of my grandmother’s hoarding of empty plastic bottles into an adjunct research process for a narrative enquiry method. Through the process, I draw parallels between this intuitively driven mode of conducting research, that is, reconfiguring the extra sensibilities attained from my maternal lineage: my mother, grandmother, aunts and other women elders who trained my researcher capabilities through Zulu cosmology. As such, I explain how the concept of umkaphi (guide) provides grounded ethical guidance, critical distance and interties with reflexivity. I argue that proximity to the subject matter, as well as participants, positions the researcher at an advantage for in-depth data collection and analysis. I explain how Western, educated, industrialised, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) research has affected drama therapy research and why a new reading of research is needed. The article is sectioned into titles forming waves of arrival: arriving to myself, arriving to drama therapy, arriving to the concepts of umkaphi, arriving to the concept of invisibilisation, and arriving to a method of transforming the experience of my grandmother’s hoarding into an aspect of narrative research methodology—ukuhlahlela okulahliwe. The findings signal a procedural change in drama therapy through unique and intentional reconfigurations by Black drama therapists.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nobantu Shabangu https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Critic, the Child and the Nurturer: A group case study of art therapy in a weight-neutral frame for women with body image concerns
This article explores how art therapy can function as a weight-neutral practice for South African women experiencing body image distress. Grounded in a six-week narrative art therapy group, the study drew on Ashlee Bennett’s (2022) three characters: the Body Critic, the Younger Self, and the Body Nurturer. Participants were able to externalise shame and imagine new ways of relating to their bodies. Using a qualitative, arts-based approach, the group revealed how internalised body criticism often stems from gendered, cultural, and familial influences. Through arts-based thematic analysis, three therapeutic processes were identified: the externalisation of internalised shame, the re-authoring of body narratives, and the emergence of self-compassion. Findings suggest that art therapy grounded in a weight-neutral stance offers an inclusive, ethically responsive alternative to weight-centric models of care. The article concludes with recommendations for (1) practice – embedding weight-neutral and anti-fat-bias frameworks in therapeutic work, (2) training – integrating critical engagement with weight-neutral practices and confronting anti-fat bias in art therapy education, and (3) research – developing decolonial and contextually grounded approaches to body image in South Africa. This study represents the first documented application of weight-neutral narrative art therapy in the region.
Copyright (c) 2026 Tavia Viglietti https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Materiality in art therapy: A South African group study highlighting regulating, dysregulating and ambiguous art materials used on one canvas
This article, based on my master’s research study, addresses a variety of responses that art materials can elicit in individuals. Focus is placed on how art materials can assist in self-regulation, elicit dysregulation, or evoke more ambiguous responses. Four University of Johannesburg art therapy honours students participated in a four-week online art therapy group, using the one-canvas method to engage with materials drawn from the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC), including dry/resistant, wet/fluid, and tactile media. Participants reflected on their experiences through group discussions and online surveys. Materials such as pencils and watercolour were described as containing and regulating, while others, such as glue, were experienced as uncomfortable, dysregulating, or even invasive. These responses were shaped not only by the materials’ properties but also by personal history, context, and meaning-making processes. Drawing on social constructivism and the Expressive Therapies Continuum as theoretical frameworks, the study highlights the interplay between materiality, internal experience, and socio-cultural positioning. While limited by a small, relatively privileged sample and the specific use of canvas, the findings nevertheless emphasise the need for art therapists to remain attuned to the emotional and sensory effects of art materials in art therapy.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nicole van Wyk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Polyphonic bricolage and cultural humility: A framework for reimagining art therapy practice in the Afro-Caribbean context
This article proposes polyphonic bricolage, a concept introduced by Schmidt (2006), that embraces the dynamic blending of diverse cultural influences as a tool for addressing the psychosocial needs of Afro-Caribbean clients in art therapy. Eurocentric art therapy models often fail to account for the cultural complexities of these communities, resulting in marginalisation and inequitable practices. Polyphonic bricolage offers a lens for understanding the shifting cultural identities of Afro-Caribbean clients, emphasising their fluidity, agency, and identity formation. When integrated with cultural humility, it highlights the art therapist’s role in fostering therapeutic alliances and ensuring equitable practice. By cultivating self-reflexivity and flexibility, art therapists can recognise biases and create spaces that honour clients’ lived experiences. This integrated framework encourages culturally responsive interventions that build trust, empower clients, and lead to meaningful therapeutic outcomes. A brief supervision vignette demonstrates how a lack of cultural understanding can cause harm and illustrates the importance of culturally attuned practice. Ultimately, combining polyphonic bricolage with cultural humility provides a pathway for art therapists to engage Afro-Caribbean communities in a more responsive, fair, and empowering way.
Copyright (c) 2026 Kim Valldejuli https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Where is the art therapist? A systems approach to positioning the art therapist
This document provides guidelines for mapping and positioning the art therapist within various systems. It uses a research study that mapped the structure and dynamics of the palliative care unit at a public hospital as an example to illustrate the steps in the mapping process. It examined the optimal placement of art therapists within the palliative care system. The heuristic inquiry included reflections on observations embedded in the system during placement, as well as conversations and interviews with multidisciplinary team members and other art therapists. The various visual methods for mapping the system were valuable because they could be simplified to provide a more general understanding of the system. The art-based activities enabled the manual development of the maps and allowed participants to feel the three-dimensional textile map while integrating information about the system’s structure, dynamics, and functionality. The client type, stage of illness, and treatment plan or task determine the optimal placement of the art therapist. The primary contribution of the art therapist lies in the ability to work in a client-focused way and to employ a creative approach to meet the client’s changing needs. The process of mapping the system and considering key aspects, such as the stage of care, client type, and task of the art therapist, enabled me to understand my role in various systems. It facilitates advocacy for art therapy within systems, enabling art therapy to be applied more meaningfully.
Copyright (c) 2026 Madri Jansen van Rensburg https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Art therapy, Ubuntu, and multidisciplinary collaboration in South Africa: ‘We are because I am’
This conceptual paper examines the intersections between art therapy, multidisciplinary team (MDT) practice, and the African philosophy of Ubuntu in the South African context. Ubuntu, expressed through the maxim “I am because we are”, represents an ethic of interdependence and shared humanity that has influenced health, education, and community development across the continent. Drawing on historical and contemporary scholarship, the paper positions Ubuntu as both a philosophical foundation and a practical framework for culturally grounded care. It explores how Ubuntu deepens art therapy’s relational and community dimensions and reshapes MDT collaboration by promoting dignity, empathy, and shared accountability. By synthesising South African and international perspectives, this paper offers new insights into how Ubuntu can inform decolonised and socially responsive art therapy practice while enhancing the collaborative ethos of multidisciplinary care.
Copyright (c) 2026 Gugulethu Manana https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Art therapy as effective communication for emotional regulation in adults with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability
This article explores how art therapy serves as an alternative and effective form of communication and emotional regulation for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Intellectual Disability (ID), particularly in the South African context where under-resourced and marginalised mental health services persist. Using an Art-Based Research (ABR) approach, this qualitative study examined the therapeutic processes of two adults with ASD and ID and interrupted their interactions with various art materials using the framework of the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC). Findings demonstrated that engagement with art materials enabled non-verbal expression, facilitated emotional regulation, and fostered relational connection between therapist and client. Participants primarily functioned at the Kinaesthetic/Sensory and Perceptual/Affective levels of the ETC, where the tactile and emotional properties of art materials supported communication beyond words. The research highlights the important role in the choice of art materials in art therapy and how non-verbal modalities provide a vital communicative bridge for individuals with limited verbal ability. By linking theory with practice, the study not only contributes to the limited body of South African art therapy research but also underscores the ethical imperative of inclusion by giving voice to those too often unheard in conventional therapeutic and research paradigms.
Copyright (c) 2026 Janet du Preez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Implications for drama therapy in working single-mother households in the South African context
Black women in South Africa are disproportionately represented in low-paying, insecure occupations, with a significant proportion being single mothers raising children in the absence of fathers (Sonubi, 2010). Despite the prevalence of single-mother-headed households, there is limited research exploring the developmental effects of father absence on children in this context, particularly regarding accessible therapeutic interventions. This study investigates the potential of drama therapy as a psychosocial intervention for children affected by paternal absence, focusing on the capacity of drama therapy to support identity formation, emotional regulation, and social development. Drawing on Western developmental psychoanalytic theory, attachment frameworks, and relational perspectives, the research integrates literature on child development with clinical applications of drama therapy, including role play, storytelling, and projective play techniques. Through illustrative case vignettes of children aged 10–17 years from a Johannesburg school, the study demonstrates how drama therapy facilitates the expression of unconscious and conscious experiences, enhances agency, and provides corrective relational experiences. Findings suggest that drama therapy is a culturally adaptable and developmentally appropriate intervention for mitigating psychological, behavioural, cognitive, and relational challenges associated with father absence in single-mother households.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nonkululeko Vilakazi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Text-based drama therapy: The state of the field in South Africa
This article introduces the emergent field of text-based drama therapy (TbDT), with specific reference to the applicability of the method in the Global South. TbDT is situated within the broader field of online therapy, but is itself a distinct method that requires adjustments to the way the therapist builds the therapeutic alliance. The article suggests that TbDT therapists should be trained to understand the differences in control, clarity, and creativity that the method requires, as well as emphasising that TbDT is still an embodied and creative form of drama therapy. TbDT is suggested as a highly accessible form of therapy that is able to cut across language and cultural differences through the creation of a third language of connection.
Copyright (c) 2026 Monique Alexandra Hill https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The purpose of SAJAT, as stated in its mission, is to provide a scholarly forum to advance understanding of how art therapy, alongside other arts therapy modalities, contributes to the treatment, education, development, and enrichment of people who engage with it. SAJAT aims to be representative of a variety of arts therapy modalities, cognisant of the value of a dynamic interface between the visual arts, dance, movement, music, and drama, as well as interdisciplinary fields that provide a platform for under-represented African arts therapists on the global stage.
Copyright (c) 2026 Kim Berman , Sinethemba Makanya https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
An Analytical Review of Kim Berman’s Art Therapy Training in South Africa: Pedagogical Strategies for Social Action During and Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic
Recent interest amongst local and international art therapists in the expediency of art therapy in the advancement of social justice, has grown. This paper offers a critical review of Kim Berman’s most recent chapter in the Routledge Handbook of Arts and Global Development, published in August 2024. The paper summarises Berman’s pedagogical philosophies of social action within the context of the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) pioneering art therapy (AT) programme which coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it offers insights into Berman’s selected methodology and the findings thereof. The paper seeks to provide an overview of Berman’s work, emphasising her contribution to the pedagogy of art therapy and social justice. Limitations are briefly discussed, and suggestions for future investigation offered.
Copyright (c) 2025 Saxon Kinnear https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Integrating Arts Therapies in Zambia: A Reflection on Psycho-Spiritual Cultural Dispositions and their Potential for Healing
The arts therapies, including music, art, dance/movement, and drama therapy, offer a promising pathway to integrating Zambia’s rich cultural and psycho-spiritual traditions into its healthcare system. Rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems, Zambia’s artistic and spiritual heritage aligns seamlessly with the principles of arts therapies, which emphasise self-expression, emotional regulation, and communal healing. Historically, Zambian healing practices have utilised music, dance, and visual arts as tools for spiritual connection and social cohesion, highlighting their potential for addressing contemporary mental health challenges. This paper explores the cultural and historical relevance of arts therapies in Zambia, identifying opportunities for their integration into the healthcare system. It reviews existing literature, establishes theoretical frameworks, and examines case studies that highlight the feasibility and impact of arts-based interventions. The paper also addresses barriers such as resource constraints and societal perceptions of mental health, proposing actionable policy recommendations and pathways for implementation. By fostering collaboration between local practitioners and the international arts therapy community, Zambia can establish culturally responsive, sustainable interventions that preserve its cultural legacy while contributing to global discourses on mental health.
Copyright (c) 2025 Nsamu Moonga https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The late Zulu sangoma and keeper of African wisdom, Credo Mutwa, once reflected on a profound moment of healing that challenged his understanding of therapeutic intervention. Having exhausted Western medical approaches to address his psychological distress following a violent attack in 1937, it was his grandfather, a man dismissed by missionaries as an ‘ungodly heathen’, who ultimately restored him to health (Mutwa, 1964). This experience led Mutwa (1964) to question why those dismissed by missionaries as ‘ungodly heathens’ possessed healing knowledge that Western medicine lacked. This poignant reflection encapsulates the central tension that this special issue of the South African Journal of Arts Therapies seeks to address.
Copyright (c) 2025 Nsamu Moonga, Vasintha Pather, Lireko Qhobela https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A Framework for Understanding the Role of Spirituality in Health
In the context of the current mental health crisis, integrating spirituality into healthcare presents both opportunities and challenges for improving health and advancing health equity. While mainstream biomedical systems often exclude Indigenous knowledge and spiritual practices, these cultural traditions provide significant, often underappreciated, benefits for health. The role of visual art, as part of spiritual practices, offers a compelling example of how sacred forms can be utilized in health interventions. Research shows that creating and viewing visual art activates brain networks associated with emotional regulation and self-awareness, suggesting potential benefits for people coping with various health conditions. However, challenges arise when attempting to integrate spirituality into biomedical healthcare systems. The tension between subjective, spiritual experiences and the objective, evidence-based demands of public health requires careful, respectful approaches to avoid harm and ensure beneficial outcomes. Dialogical approaches that respect plural definitions of health and foster inclusive, collaborative discussions are essential for creating a holistic, accessible healthcare system that embraces diverse spiritual practices.
Copyright (c) 2025 Kirti Ranchod https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Drawing on a Spiritual Connection: Reflections of an Art Therapist working with Dementia Patients in and around Johannesburg
Dementia is classified within Western biomedical frameworks as various neurocognitive disorders and presents complex challenges beyond physical symptoms, particularly in South Africa, where cultural interpretations and socio-economic factors influence care. This article is not a research article. It offers personal reflections on integrating African spiritual perspectives with Western medical approaches to dementia care. I did not feel comfortable explaining my belief in the sacredness of this work within secular university training. As a newly registered art therapist who has turned a student placement site into work at frail care centres in and around Johannesburg, I reflect on my approach to dementia care. I give context to my abiding African spiritual principles, although I am of German descent and give context to the notion of abstract art relating to the spiritual. I relate how my personal practice of engaging in intuitive abstract artmaking can foster a connection to an inner sacred space for both therapist and participants, enhancing well-being and offering a non-verbal mode of engagement. I explain how my Higher Power and the 12-step programme at an addiction recovery centre have influenced me to embrace diverse knowledge systems and the intangible aspects of healing, such as ancestral connections and spiritual agency. Vignettes are described of my engagement with dementia patients through weekly group art therapy sessions, where music is also included. The reflection concludes my experience that a holistic, integrative model of dementia care can support the dignity and personhood of patients while also addressing the emotional and spiritual needs of caregivers.
Copyright (c) 2025 Alisa Ray https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Beautiful Justice: The Role of Aesthetic Beauty in Restoring Transcendent Connection
This article seeks to illuminate how colonial and apartheid systems dispossessed people of colour in South Africa of the natural and cultural beauty inherent in their ancestral, socio-cultural and/or lived environments. It underscores how these systems forced people into survival conditions that hindered their capacity to cultivate beauty in their surroundings, cultural practices, and inner lives. Beauty, which often plays a central role in fostering psycho-spiritual development and connection, was systematically disrupted, distorted, and undermined. Within the arts therapies, there lies a unique potential to address these intergenerational disruptions by facilitating experiences of beauty as a pathway to restorative healing and justice.
Copyright (c) 2025 Vasintha Pather https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Nsamu Moonga, a music therapist whose doctoral research employs Indigenous research methodologies centring participants’ experiences, provides a critique of the University of Johannesburg Art Therapy Conference held in July 2023, focusing on the intersection of race, coloniality, and professionalisation within arts therapies. His reflections advocate for urgent structural reform and cultural sensitivity, promoting Indigenisation practices to dismantle exclusionary frameworks in the profession. Moonga’s paper carefully positions the challenges of the sector and critically highlights the systemic barriers faced by minoritised practitioners and communities whose valuable contributions and needs remain marginalised in professional discourse.
Copyright (c) 2024 Kim Berman https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Grief, relief, and belief: Transpersonal arts-based therapy for abortion-related loss and grief
This article outlines the rationale behind a drama therapy-inspired workshop for grief work with women who are distressed after an abortion. The aim is to explore whether embodied creative activities can help women come to terms with their distress after an abortion. The four participants self-selected. This research uses transpersonal drama therapy (‘mountaintop perspective’) and a multi-dimensional framework that includes African cosmology in which living beings are connected to the dead. The research uses a grief theory theoretical framework and is an exploration of post-grief resilience theories. The methodology used to explore the post-abortion distress of women who found the experience to be lonely and silent was through a workshop. The workshop techniques used were body mapping, doll making, rock carrying, breathwork, and letter writing. Grounding to material elements was consistent. The study found that participants had applied rituals to reach closure. The drama therapy allowed the participants to imagine a future where the abortion was in the past. One surprising finding is that the spiritual aspect of existence is persistent, even if un-lived and un-described.
Copyright (c) 2024 Gillian Brollo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Open Studio as a therapeutic model: Responding to the needs of inner-city Johannesburg children
Children from Johannesburg’s inner city live in a context of multiple forms of violence, where the capacity of parents to provide safety, containment and emotional processing is severely compromised. Lefika La Phodiso Community Art Counselling Training (Lefika) is located on the edge of the inner city and facilitates an open studio arts-based programme, which aims to responsively meet the psychosocial needs of the children who attend. This research aimed to gain insight into how Lefika’s open studio may contribute to creating a sustainable city for Johannesburg’s inner city children, with the participation of children as co-researchers in the project. Utilising a qualitative approach, and a participatory action framework, within the art therapy principles and practice of the open studio model, data collection included meaningful discussions of participant experiences. Data analysis and interpretation was done collaboratively with participants using thematic analysis. Children’s community experiences highlighted that Johannesburg’s inner city is no place for children, who consequently seek out safe spaces where they can play, be with their friends and have access to caring adults. Within this context, Lefika’s open studio is responsive to participants’ needs, promoting experiences of psychosocial well-being. Lefika’s Open Studio model is of inherent value to participants, offering them the opportunity to resist the limitations posed by their inner city environment. The findings confirm the applicability of the open studio model to inner city children and the authors advocate for widespread replicability of the programme with children.
Copyright (c) 2024 Sheri Errington, Kate Shand, Rozanne Muburgh, Hayley Berman https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Harmonising empathy: A critical exploration of Empathy Pathways: A View from Music Therapy by Andeline dos Santos
"Harmonizing Empathy - A Critical Exploration of Empathy Pathways: A View from Music Therapy" reviews this important book by music therapist and scholar, Andeline dos Santos. The book delves into empathy as a foundational concept in therapeutic practice, especially within music therapy. Dos Santos critiques conventional, individualistic models of empathy, proposing a pluralistic and contextual framework instead. She introduces four pathways—Insightful, Translational, Empathizing Assemblage, and Relational Empathy—each rooted in distinct philosophical traditions. These pathways are intended to guide therapists in understanding and fostering empathy across different contexts. Dos Santos draws on interdisciplinary fields such as philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and indigenous knowledge systems. The book, thus, offers a nuanced view of empathy as an emotional and cognitive process embedded in cultural and social contexts. Dos Santos emphasizes the significance of cultural humility and pluriversality. However, her engagement with decolonial perspectives remains underdeveloped. Empathy Pathways provides rich theoretical contributions. However, the text’s reliance on Euro-American frameworks and limited citation of African scholars is a disappointment. Despite its intellectual depth, the book presents challenges in accessibility and practical applicability, especially for readers without a background in philosophy. Its exploration of relational empathy and practical music therapy strategies, including musical mirroring and improvisation, holds relevance for practitioners, urging them toward reflexivity and cultural responsiveness in therapeutic settings. Overall, Empathy Pathways offers a significant contribution to the field of music therapy and empathy studies. It pushes the boundaries of empathy research toward greater critical engagement with cultural contexts and relational dynamics. Its potential could be enhanced by deeper engagement with decolonial thought and more attention to global perspectives, particularly from the Global South.
Copyright (c) 2024 Sinethemba Makanya https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Awakening: Makudlalwe. How play awakens the inner child in black Indigenous African adults
The concept of the inner child represents the emotional and experiential core of individuals, often shaped by early life experiences. This article focuses on research which explored the significance of play in awakening this inner child in black Indigenous African adults, particularly in the context of Drama Therapy. By utilizing methods such as neuro-dramatic play and guided play, this study seeks to understand how play can serve as a therapeutic tool to reconnect individuals with their past, promote healing, and enhance personal growth. The colonized African child growing up under post-colonial times may have the experience and memory of being deprived of play due to colonial factors that include Apartheid, land displacement, and but not limited to slave labour. A way to activate memories is through using the body as a vessel that allows the flow of experience to take place. This is why play is an important element of the research that informs this article as it assists one to understand how play can contribute to traveling to and navigating that space in time, using the body. The article aims to explore how play can awaken the inner child in black Indigenous African adults, contributing to the understanding of play within the context of Drama Therapy. I argue that the exploration of play can foster connections within communities and promote emotional healing, particularly in a post-apartheid South African context where historical traumas and socio-economic disparities persist. The study ultimately seeks to contribute to the field of Drama Therapy by emphasizing play as a vital process for self-discovery and emotional well-being.
Copyright (c) 2024 Nomfundo Ncanana https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
This paper reflects on the University of Johannesburg Art Therapy Conference, held in July 2023, focusing on themes of social justice and professionalisation within the arts therapies sector. The author critically examines the intersection of race, coloniality, and professionalisation in the field of arts therapy, particularly in the African context. Drawing on insights from the conference, the reflections highlight the persistent challenges faced by minoritised practitioners and service users, who remain underrepresented and underserved within the profession. The professionalisation of arts therapies is critiqued for perpetuating inequalities, alienating marginalised groups, and reinforcing colonial power dynamics. The paper also explores the tension between altruism and economic necessity in the work of arts therapists, underscoring the exploitation and undervaluation of their labour. Building on Kim Berman's editorial, these reflections call for greater inclusivity, cultural sensitivity, and the dismantling of systemic barriers within the arts therapy profession. Our role in this ongoing dialogue and action is crucial as professional colleagues and peers in the arts therapies sector. The conference's discourse offers a platform for us to collectively work toward a more equitable and socially just practice of arts therapy in Africa and beyond.
Copyright (c) 2024 Nsamu Moonga https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Childhood trauma and intimacy: Exploring drama therapy for intimacy recovery in adult relationships
This article investigates the relationship between childhood trauma and intimacy in adulthood, evaluating Drama Therapy as a treatment approach for intimacy recovery. Using a qualitative literature review, the study explores how specific Drama Therapy techniques – dramatic ritual, the Role Method, Narradrama, and Developmental Transformations (DvT) – address intimacy disruptions resulting from childhood trauma. The review reveals that these Drama Therapy approaches equip trauma survivors with tools to rebuild trust, regulate emotions, reform harmful narratives, and manage relational unpredictability. By fostering safety, trust, emotional expression, and mutual recognition within a structured environment, the literature examined indicates that Drama Therapy may facilitate the recovery of intimacy capacity by enabling individuals to engage in healthier and more fulfilling relationships. The article highlights that while Drama Therapy provides valuable insights into intimacy recovery, it is limited by the absence of empirical data, which affects its scientific validity. Furthermore, the focus on selected literature may not fully represent the broader research landscape on trauma, intimacy, and Drama Therapy. The effectiveness of Drama Therapy techniques in enhancing intimacy lacks extensive empirical validation, underscoring the need for more rigorous research. Future studies should include empirically validated research to explore the impact of specific forms of childhood trauma and identify the most effective Drama Therapy techniques for intimacy recovery. Interdisciplinary collaboration could enhance empirical support for Drama Therapy’s efficacy, offering a more comprehensive understanding of therapeutic interventions' impact on human health and intimate relationships.
Copyright (c) 2024 Kathryn Ann Magee https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Embracing resistance, inclusivity and photography in art therapy: A South African context
The original objective of my study was to research the role of art therapy as a means to help enhance the private collective self-esteem of black South African students. “Private collective self-esteem,” according to Riia Luhtanen and Jennifer Cerocker (1992), refers to the view individuals hold about the social group to which they belong that subsequently affects their self-concept. However, this research led me to identify ways in which art therapy can be alienating and cause resistance to therapy. Resistance can be a normal occurrence during artmaking in art therapy, and understanding the causes of this resistance can help create a safe and culturally inclusive therapy and mitigate the resistance through the choice of art materials. The data for this research was collected through self-study and four group sessions with three participants. Only one participant attended all four sessions. The process used was photo art therapy, and the data was analysed through thematic analysis using a theoretical framework of intersectionality and social identity theory. The three clients were reluctant to engage with the art materials and preferred the use of photographs. The analysis indicated that even though art therapy clients are not obligated to have artmaking experience, knowledge of artmaking processes and an understanding of art therapy can help the client feel safe in an art therapy environment. Therefore, photographs and culturally appropriate materials can help clients struggling with resistance to artmaking. Furthermore, art therapists who understand clients’ artmaking history can help create a safer space for their clients.
Copyright (c) 2024 Masehlele Mashitisho https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Revealing intergenerational traits and self-compassion through therapeutic creation
Community arts counsellors work in the complex socio-cultural landscape of mental health care in South Africa, providing vital support to under-resourced communities amidst a shortage of mental health workers. Initially, the article intended to showcase the impact of group narrative art therapy on community arts counsellor trainees’ (CACTs) self-awareness and empathy, but the process quickly revealed self-compassion as integral in developing these qualities. I observed some CACTs’ natural inclination towards self-compassion, while realising that others needed to allow self-compassion to emerge more gradually. Using a reflective lens helped me understand and appreciate that enhancing self-awareness and empathy may assist CACTs in supporting clients effectively while fostering a compassionate therapeutic environment. A qualitative, interpretive approach with six CACTs was used, employing thematic analysis of artwork and personal reflections to provide insights into participants’ experiences during sessions. The group setting offered a shared experience, which enabled these CACTs to become aware of other perspectives, thereby improving self-awareness and empathy. Three case vignettes showcase moments where participants reflected on the creative process and expressed meaning through personal and familial narratives.
Copyright (c) 2024 Elize-Helé Kieser https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The creation of a clay vessel is a metaphor for the therapeutic journey of a family affected by a rare disease
This article is located within the South African rare disease community. The article draws from a master’s thesis and focuses on a case vignette of a family affected by a rare disease diagnosis. There is limited research in South Africa focused on family art therapy. This study established that art therapy processes can uncover resilience factors in families affected by trauma associated with a rare disease diagnosis. The original study consisted of four art therapy sessions focused on identifying resilience factors through family collaborative art using clay, a medium previously unexplored by the family. This article focuses on a single clay object created collaboratively by the family during the sessions. Literature draws from international studies on family art therapy, clay as material, kintsugi, and concepts of holding, containing, and transitional objects. The making and holding of the vessel and the vulnerability of brokenness and repair parallelled the family’s story. The distinct phases that emerged in the art therapy process included the malleability of clay in its raw form, the brittleness of the unfired form, the tentative strength of the piece as bisque, the stronger form as a glazed item, and kintsugi reparation. Findings conclude that an awareness of the family’s strength and resilience was symbolised through the object’s creation and repair. This awareness showed the importance of acknowledging struggles faced both medically and mentally by the family and protective factors they witnessed among each other during the study. Initial findings were positive, and further studies are recommended.
Copyright (c) 2024 Claire Woollatt https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Confectionary art therapy: Exploring the therapeutic benefits of baking
This article focuses on the use of baking as a therapeutic medium in art therapy, specifically investigating its potential benefits for self-care among art therapy trainees. This study acknowledges the importance of self-care in mental health professions and thus explores how baking can provide a comprehensive sensory experience that facilitates emotional regulation, mindfulness, and self-efficacy. Through a qualitative study involving four participants, the article examines the therapeutic process of baking, from preparation to decoration, and discusses its implications for art therapy practice. The findings suggest that baking can serve as a self-care method, promoting personal growth and well-being. Furthermore, the study highlights the need for further exploration and application of baking in therapeutic settings, emphasising the importance of an art therapist's presence to enhance the experience.
Copyright (c) 2024 Vanessa Tsao https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Doll making: An art therapy approach to support bereaved clients
This article is about an art therapy doll making process to support bereaved clients. I explore the potential of doll making in the context of bereavement and art therapy, using the lens of object relations theory and attachment theory. I reflect on an arts-based self study of my own doll making experience based on my Art Therapy Honours research. I will also present a process that art therapists can use when working with dolls and bereaved clients. The aim of this article is to answer the question, why is making dolls such a powerful and evocative experience, both as a support during bereavement but also beyond? The article emerges from a desire to understand how doll making can be used by art therapists to support bereaved clients, using both the existing literature on dolls and doll making as well as my own experience of making dolls. I use a literature review and reflections on my own doll making practice. The arts-based approach permits me to write from a personal perspective to investigate and explore my doll making experience, in relation to both practice and theory. Doll making can be a powerful and evocative activity that has many therapeutic benefits, in particular as a support for bereavement. There is limited literature on doll-making and art therapy, as well as bereavement and art therapy, and therefore this article is a contribution to original knowledge. It derives from a literature review, arts-based research and from personal reflection into my own processes, producing a process that is original and replicable.
Copyright (c) 2024 Kate Shand https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Editorial and Reflections on the Conference for SAJAT: Objectives of the Training Art Therapists for Social Justice Conference
One of the key aspects of arts for social justice is the central recognition of its collaborative nature that foregrounds interconnectedness and empathy. The forum of a conference in the early stages of the development of the Art Therapy qualification at the University of Johannesburg enabled both evaluation and reflection by situating student participants as dynamic partners. We engaged the first cohort of Art therapy Masters students to collaborate in designing the conference and website for the field to share and exchange their practice with leaders in global change initiatives. The conference theme focused on training and practice of art therapy in social justice in the Global South and the key note address by Dr Lireko Qhobela cautions us to be intentional about attending to the historical wounds. Panel presentations included Art therapy in the Global South: Now and next (Moon et al), Research as Storytelling (Potash and Kapitan), Using the arts to work with refugees and displaced persons in times of crisis and war (Speizers et al) as well Art therapy and social activism in community-based projects (Myburgh et al). A social dreaming workshop was a practical visualisation that included approximately 70 participants entitled Deep diving towards a vison for social justice: a visual dream matrix, (H Berman and N Pule). The Art Therapy Masters students published their research projects in the newly established Journal of Arts Therapies (SAJAT) which was launched as highlight to conclude the conference. They participated in critical evaluation through the peer review process and were encouraged to invite and engage with a range of leaders in the field. The students were asked to critically reflect on how they understood their own agency in the field of transformative art therapy practice and social justice using group and individual art practice and writing. Their comments and experiences can be integrated and shared with future cohorts in enriching the field as situated and textured to a local context.
Copyright (c) 2024 Prof Kim Berman https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0