ABSTRACT
Affect is a word used to describe the multidimensional construct of emotional states that include cognitive, experiential, and neurophysiological input (Taylor, Bagby, & Parker, 1997). The Affective component of the Expressive Therapies Continuum describes the emotion aroused in the individual, and accessed and expressed by him or her through interaction with art media (Kagin & Lusebrink, 1978b). The Affective component is opposite the Perceptual component on the Perceptual/Affective level of the ETC. Whereas therapeutic work with the Perceptual component is concerned with structure and the containment of emotion, work on the Affective component allows for and amplifies the expression of feelings. The use of art materials in general, and the artistic process itself, may arouse affect, and therefore many expressive experiences include emotion; the creator’s emotion imbues artistic images with a dynamic quality (Lusebrink, 1990). However, when working with the Affective component of the ETC, therapists support a more direct expression of feelings by giving explicit directives that help clients access emotions, by offering fluid media, and by encouraging the use of vivid colors.
