Evidence-Based Expressive Therapies

Dr.Lynda Naimoli, PhD

Abstract

A Study about The Nurturing Dance An art-based research study with the inquiries of the breastfeeding mother-infant dyad in mind, was designed with a phenomenological approach that included autobiographical narratives and embodied lived emotions and reflection, which allowed for the integration of dance and movement within the arts-based research realm. Interviews were conducted with each participant to provide an in-depth comprehension of their breastfeeding and postpartum experiences. The participants attended three open group discussions where they expressed their breastfeeding struggles and accomplishments, bonding with their child, and motherhood. Participants were asked to create gestural descriptors that described their breastfeeding experience, and through the image making process, participants choreographed a symbolic dance which was captured on film. Journal entries included written testimonial and self-portraits created through photography and visual art. Eight themes emerged from this study: loneliness, pain, tired, importance of nurturing their infant, guilt, grief, joy, and closure. The researcher’s embodied empathetic reflection to the mother-infant movement sequences were also captured on film and is accompanied with a voice over that addressed the participants feelings and thoughts, and the overarching themes. This study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and provided participants insight in finding resilience during breastfeeding and nurturing their infants during stressful times through therapeutic movement, kinesthetic empathy, and artistic dance.

December, 2025

October, 2023

Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of credentialed art therapists as they facilitated group artmaking with healthy young adults (ages 20–35) using Virtual Reality’s MultiBrush platform . Three art therapists conducted structured sessions—creating bird nests, bridges, and collaboratively building virtual parks—while using avatars for real-time communication in immersive 360° digital environments. Data were gathered only from the therapists via semi-structured interviews, focusing on their perspectives regarding adaptation to VR art tools, assessment of creativity without physical cues, safety protocols, and group dynamics.

Dr. Lee Cohen, PhD

Dr. Lee Cohen, PhD

Abstract

This qualitative pilot study investigated the drawing experiences of five adolescent participants to examine virtual reality (VR) as an expressive tool for art therapy for trauma-exposed youth. The participants drew their safe space with traditional art materials (TAM) and then replicated it three-dimensionally utilizing the Oculus Quest for VR artmaking. A phenomenological comparison approach allowed the researcher to explore the data collected through thematic analysis. The investigator presents five themes as the result of five transcribed and coded semi-structured interviews: lack of knowledge/confidence, novelty, empowerment, multisensory, and an unexpected finding of gender-switching to avoid cyberbullying. The results of this pilot study suggest that VR fostered the adolescents’ participation while empowering them to express thoughts, actions, and emotions in nontraditional forms.