COVID-19: Our Hopes and Dreams
Graduation Date
Summer 2021
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy
Degree Granting Institution
Notre Dame de Namur University
Program Name
Art Therapy
Dean
Caryl Hodges, EdD
First Reader
Sarah Kremer, PhD, LPCC, ATR-BC
Second Reader
Gwen Sanders, PhD, ATR-BC, MFT
Abstract
COVID-19: Hopes & Dreams was an art-based research project that took place online during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was designed to provide a beneficial art making experience for participants while simultaneously documenting their lived experience with a focus on hopes and dreams. This project was guided by public health research showing strong evidence for the ability of art to improve individual and collective health outcomes during pandemics. The project utilized art therapy techniques developed to increase resilience and post traumatic growth after traumatic events. One result was a short video, COVID-19: Our Hopes & Dreams. The student researcher used images and words from participants’ art to create this art piece. Another result was the exploration and analysis of the themes that emerged in the participants' art.