Stephen K Levine

Stephen K. Levine's book explores the nature of traumatic experience and the therapeutic role of the arts and arts therapies in responding to it. It suggests that by re-imagining painful and tragic experiences through art-making, we may release their fixity and negative hold on our lives and resist the temptation to assume the role of the victim.

This book provides an arts-based approach to theories and practices of expressive arts therapy. The contributors emphasize the importance of the imagination and aesthetic experience, arguing that these are central to psychological well-being, and challenging views which emphasise the cognitive and emotional dimensions of mental health development.

This book lays the foundation for a fresh interpretation of art-making and the therapeutic process by re-examining the concept of poiesis. The authors clarify the methodology and theory of practice with a focus on intermodal therapy, crystallization theory and polyaesthetics, and give guidance on the didactics of acquiring practical skills.

This book looks in detail at the connections between expressive arts, such as poetry, and psychology and develops understanding of the theoretical foundations which connect the arts and psychotherapy. It considers the context in which modern therapy emerged and looks at various aspects of arts therapies.