Ruth Abraham is both a therapist and an artist. After a BA Honors in psychology in South Africa in 1965, she studied painting and sculpture, exhibiting and selling her art in various forums locally and overseas. In 1986 she earned an MA in Expressive Therapy from Lesley College, Massachusetts. Since then she has been an art therapist in private practice, and teaches art therapy in a three-year postgraduate program. She also worked for eight years in a geriatric day center. This professional experience, along with her personal journey in caring for her mother, provided the material for this authoritative and compassionate book. Ms Abraham is married, with three grown children and four grandchildren. An active member of the art therapy community, she teaches future therapists and works with patients. She is currently writing short stories.
-
My Book
When Words Have Lost Their Meaning: Alzheimer's Patients Communicate Through Art. Available at http://www.alzheimersart.com
Blog at WordPress.com. — Theme: Connections by www.vanillamist.com
December 5, 2006 at 12:12 pm
Congratulations, dear Ruth. At the moment, very luckily, I don’t have anyone with an Alzheimer’s problem in my life, but I know that I don’t know what the future holds. But I am also very lucky in that I do have your excellent book and your excellent knowledge. I am sure that your book has helped so many people, as has your therapy. Very warmly, Judy Goldman
August 17, 2007 at 1:49 am
Hello.. I am interested in pursuing a career in art therapy, so I was hoping you could answer some of my questions. I know that it is stated that it is not necessary for someone to be a good artist, but why is it that most of the graduate programs ask for samples as part of the application process? I am very interested in the field, but I do not have any art samples that would be of any benefit to me in the application process. I will have a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Ecology by the end of this next year. I also have a 3.9 Grade Point Average, which I am sure would only be dampered by my terrible artwork! Thus, I am not sure that this is such a good idea?
In addition, I was also hoping that you could tell me a little bit more about the profession, in regards to:
1. Salary
2. A Day In The Life
3. Quality Of Life
4. The Best and/or Worst Parts of The Work
I appreciate your help in advance… I look forward to hearing from you!
Vonia Peng
August 17, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Hello Vonia,
I am wondering what it is about art therapy as a profession that is attractive to you. I suggest,in order to get a fuller answer to your questions, that you read one of the books on art therapy that would give you a deeper idea of what it is all about. You could start with The Art of Art Therapy, by Judith Rubin.
Regarding the requests for art samples from programs - this is because art is a language which the patient will use to express his internal world, his dreams and fears and longings. The therapist needs to guide him towards materials that will help him actualize his emotional content, and transform it into artistic products. In order to do this, the therapist himself must have experience with art materials, and with the whole creative process. He himself must have learned the satisfaction of messy paints as opposed to hard crayons, of the pleasure of clay or the need to construct with hard materials, the different effects of various paper etc. You need not be a brilliant artist, but you have to have personal experience with the tools of this world. We regard art as a language and you will need to learn that language in order to accompany your patient as he learns the langauge. Many schools insist that the student take a year of art study before they begin the art therapy course.
The other questions you ask are country specific and I dont know that I can answer them. Where are you located?
I hope I have answered your questions and I will end by saying that for those suited to it, art therapy is a most fulfilling, exciting and satisfying profession.
Good luck.
Ruth