Post-Session Art Making: The Art Of Not Knowing

by Martine Bedard

Post-session art making is the creation of artwork by the art therapist after an art therapy session with a client or a group. This heuristic study explores the experience of post-session art making by the author and six other art therapy students.

The study includes an overview of the author's ideas and theories on being an art therapist, including the art therapy and supervision processes of the art therapist herself. A review of existing literature on post-session art is also presented.

This study found that post session art making can be helpful in acquiring an increased understanding of the client, the art therapist herself, and the therapeutic relationship.  It can be a self-reflective process, enhance integration of meaning and insight, and act as holding environment for intense feelings.

The author concludes that post-session art can be an important element of an art therapist's self care and recommends that the practice of post-session art making be formally introduced into the advanced stages of art therapy training.