Rite of Passage and Art Therapist Identity Development: Awareness and Meaning
Graduation Date
Spring 2010
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy
Degree Granting Institution
Notre Dame de Namur University
Program Name
Art Therapy
Dean
Arnell Etherington, PhD, MFT, ATR-BC
First Reader
Laury Rappaport, PhD, ATR-BC
Second Reader
Richard Carolan, EdD, ATR-BC
Abstract
Every year art therapy students are transitioning into Practicum programs. This transition, an important and essential process to become art therapists often occurs without a rite of passage. This research sought to answer the question: How does a rite of passage ritual for art therapy practicum student impact their sense of professional identity? And proposed a hypothesis: A rite of passage ritual for art therapy practicum students will lead an increase in awareness and a sense of meaning in the experience of professional identity development. Questionnaires. Me-Box, and group discussion processes were used to determine the nature of the relationship between rite of passage and professional identity development as art therapist trainees. An art-based phenomenological mixed methods approach was used in older to evaluate the participants' experience. Research analysis resulted in themes of vulnerability, challenge, awareness, growth, transformation, and community. Results indicated a positive relationship may exist between rite of passage and professional identity development.