ABSTRACT
The power of an eclectic approach is the personal nature of its development. It is important to note that this is an active and ongoing process. Being eclectic does not mean slipping into a ready-made garment and going to work. The process requires far more creativity. An eclectic approach is a more difficult road. It requires choices. There is not a unified system into which the complex data for understanding and changing human dynamics can fit. Art therapists have utilized various theories of human development, psychopathology, and psychotherapy to inform their work. People adapt our work to these theories or we adapt these theories to art therapy. Many recognize a need for a theory of art therapy that would integrate human psychology, creative art expression, and the meaning of visual imagery. The artistry in art therapy is the ability both to encourage art expression, and to help the patient relate to it.
