ABSTRACT
Adversity plays an important role in motivating people to turn to creativity, especially artistic creativity, for healing and self-expression; however, clinicians must take caution so that creative clients avoid reliving past trauma in harmful ways through their artistic pursuits. This chapter takes a look at the intersection of trauma, posttraumatic growth, and creativity. For example, although a history of trauma can inform artists’ creative content, it can also block their abilities to access feelings or experience them in integrated ways. This chapter focuses on the clinicians’ role in maximizing the benefits of creative expression for trauma treatment while keeping in mind the many ways trauma itself hinders creative processes and the quality of onstage performances.
