Increasing Self-Awareness in Women with Substance Abuse Disorders Utilizing Mindfulness Based Knitting in Group Art Therapy
Graduation Date
Spring 2015
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
John Lemmon, PhD
First Reader
Jennifer Harrison, PsyD, DAAETS, ATR-BC
Second Reader
Amy Backos, PhD, ATR-BC
Abstract
This grant proposes a pilot study of a substance abuse treatment that includes art therapy, knitting and mindfulness. It is hypothesized that a knitting art therapy group grounded in mindfulness will have the therapeutic benefit of increasing self-awareness in women who have been incarcerated and diagnosed with a substance use disorder. This grant reviews the current literature regarding previous research studies pertaining to substance abuse treatment and art therapy, the needs of women post-incarceration, a background of therapeutic knitting, as well as mindfulness and the concept of flow in art therapy.