Expressive Arts Quotes

“Expressive arts therapy--the purposeful application of art, music, dance/movement, dramatic enactment, creative writing, and imaginative play--is a non-verbal way of self-expression of feelings and perceptions. More importantly, they are action-oriented and tap implicit, embodied experiences of trauma that can defy expression through verbal therapy or logic.”
― Cathy A. Malchiodi, Trauma and Expressive Arts Therapy: Brain, Body, and Imagination in the Healing Process

“I am empowered by self-knowledge, by ownership of my experiences, and by all aspects of myself.”
― Maureen Brady, Daybreak: Meditations for Women Survivors of Sexual Abuse

“Neurobiology research has taught helping professionals that we need to "come to our senses" in developing effective components for trauma intervention.”
― Cathy A. Malchiodi, Trauma and Expressive Arts Therapy: Brain, Body, and Imagination in the Healing Process

“Possibly the most compelling reason for use of the expressive arts in trauma work is the sensory nature of the arts themselves; their qualities involve visual, tactile, olfactory, auditory, vestibular, and proprioceptive experiences.”
― Cathy A. Malchiodi, Trauma and Expressive Arts Therapy: Brain, Body, and Imagination in the Healing Process

“Sand tray can be an embodied conversation between our inner world and outer awareness, held and witnessed by another. Because of the tactile experiences of the sand and minatures and the symbolic nature of the figures, we have the opportunity to make contact with implicit memories that have no words. We follow our body's guidance in arranging the sand and allowing the minatures to choose us. It is a right-centric process that allows us to let go of meaning-making in favor of following our felt sense and behavioral impulse. Meaning may arrive later, but we at least begin, as best we can, without expectation to give our inner world the most freedom we can.”
― Bonnie Badenoch, The Heart of Trauma: Healing the Embodied Brain in the Context of Relationships