ABSTRACT
Prior to recovery, addicts and trauma survivors wander lost, much like the “Israelites initially futile wandering in the wilderness” (Ochs & Olitzky, 1997, p. 128). Though lost, many seek a more authentic connection to self and spirit. While the patient begins therapy in despair, “. . . it is followed by revelation-a whole new way of seeing. And after revelation comes the long process of integrating the new perception” (p. 129). Art, like manna, the mysterious food sent by God to the Israelites, sustains the lost and seeking. Art feeds us during times when we are parched, hungry, and tired. The act of creation, whether an art piece or a meaningful life, is one of faith just as the act of collecting food that fell from the sky was an act of faith for the Israelites. The act of faith it takes to draw, sculpt, dance, sing, or role-play may be the first step to “the breakdown of old ways of viewing things” (p. 128) and the start of a new life. Rogers (1993) writes,
Part of the psychotherapeutic process is to awaken the creative life-force energy. Thus, creativity and therapy overlap. What is creative is frequently therapeutic. What is therapeutic is frequently a creative process. . . . Expressive arts therapy uses various arts . . . in a supportive setting to facilitate growth and healing. It is a process of discovering ourselves through any art form that comes from an emotional depth. (pp. 1-2)
The creative arts have a unique ability to help trauma survivors and addicts navigate through life experiences and defenses to the center of the soul.
