High Probability of Survival with Children who have Cancer

Since I've been thesis-thesis-thesising lately, I apologize for not updating my blog as much as usual.

Today, I'd like to offer a post I read on the Art Therapy blog regarding a study in Germany on children with cancer and their high probability of survivial. Here's the original article, too.

This research is exciting for the fields of creative and expressive arts therapies, since it highlights aspects of the role of music therapy, positive effects of parent accompaniment, and the importance of quality of life in the hospital.

Self Portraits and Healing

William Utermohlen’s self-portraits reveal his descent into dementia over the span of nearly four decades. The accompanying NY Times article can be read here.

In my expressive arts therapy (movement, drawing, writing) training with Anna and Daria Halprin at the Tamalpa Institute, self portraits are introduced as an integral part of the life/art process, at the beginning of the training and at the end.
How we paint or draw ourselves is a creative and symbolic process which can create a dialogue between our psyche and soul. "...the drawing...can contain and express our suffering in ways which help us be with it and move on, finding a healthy way to reintegrate, or live differently with, our wounding experiences" (Halprin, D, p. 179).

Utermohlen's self portraits from 1996-2000: