The Supervisor/Student Relationship in an Art Therapy Prcticum Setting
Graduation Date
Fall 1994
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
Abstract
This study explored the nature of the relationship between supervisor and the art therapy student in a practicum setting. Two (2) sources were used in this investigation, published literature and interviews with twelve (12) art therapists. In the literature the supervisor/student relationship was described as complex and very important to the developing students image of themselves as therapists. Factors reported by interviewees to be important included; the type of institutions, attitudes of staff, clients, students background, theoretical orientations and support from and ability to resolve problems with supervisors. Numerous studies of this relationship have been conducted in other disciplines but there is a shortage of such studies in art therapy, therefore further studies are required. Guidelines for supervisors of art therapists are recommended, analogous to those used in other professions.