Program
Expressive Arts Therapy Concentration
This Appalachian State University offering is within the Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in the Department of Human Development and Psychological Counseling. Those students who are pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Professional School Counseling or Marraige and Family Therapy may also apply to complete the concentration.
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), thus students receive a thorough academic grounding in the knowledge and skills required to become a professional counselor as well as specialized training in expressive arts therapy.
Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy
Appalachian State University also offers for individuals who hold a master's degree in counseling or other mental health related area or a master's degree in an arts therapy field. In addition, students pursuing a master's degree in any of Appalachian's fully accredited master's degree programs in counseling (Clinical Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy and College Student Development), may pursue the Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy in addition to and in conjunction with the master's degree.
Expressive Arts Therapy at Appalachian State University is offered as a concentration within the Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Appalachian also offers a post-master's Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy. The program is interdisciplinary and courses are taught by faculty from the Departments of Human Development and Psychological Counseling, Psychology, Theatre and Dance, Art, Leadership and Educational Studies, Anthropology, and English, and the School of Music. Students may also work with faculty to design independent study courses in their field of interest. Expressive Arts Therapy at Appalachian has an affiliation with the European Graduate School in Switzerland for the exchange of faculty, students, and scholarly activities.
The Expressive Arts Therapy Concentration requires 15 semester hours of coursework within the 60 hour master's degree in Community Counseling.
The Graduate Certificate In Expressive Arts Therapy requires 18 hours of coursework. To be eligible for the certificate, candidates must currently hold a master's degree in counseling or related mental health area or a master's degree in an arts therapy field, or be enrolled in one of the counseling graduate programs at Appalachian's Department of Human Development and Psychological Counseling.
Click on the video below to hear Tom Harris leading a therapeutic drumming class.
Required courses and electives are listed below, followed by course descriptions.
Required Courses for Expressive Arts Therapy Concentration (15 semester hours)
HPC 6360: Therapy and the Expressive Arts (3)- HPC 6370: Intermodal Expressive Arts Therapy (3)
- HPC 6900: Internship in Community Counseling (with a focus on Expressive Arts Therapy) (6)
AND - 3 additional semester hours of course work selected with the advice and approval of the graduate advisor
Required Courses for Expressive Arts Therapy Graduate Certificate (18 semester hours)
- HPC 6360: Therapy and the Expressive Arts (3)
- HPC 6370: Intermodal Expressive Arts Therapy (3)
AND - 12 additional semester hours of course work selected with the advice and approval of the graduate advisor
Elective Courses in Expressive Arts Therapy
HPC 5535: Expressive Arts Institute: The Use of Creative and Expressive Arts with Children and Adolescents(3)- HPC 6535: Expressive Arts Summer Institute(3)
- HPC 5870/DAN 4870: Creative Process, Movement & Therapy(3)
- HPC 5860: Dreamwork: Clinical Methods(3)
- HPC 6160: Gestalt Therapy(3)
- HPC 6340: Ecotherapy (3)
- HPC 6350: Body/Mind (3)
- HPC 6380: Therapeutic Writing (3)
- HPC 6390: Current Issues in Expressive Arts Therapy (3)
- DAN 5460: Somatics (3)
- DAN 5480: Advanced Pilates (3)
- MUS 5006: Philosophy of Music (3)
Special topics courses
Independent Studies in special topics
Course Descriptions
HPC 6360: Therapy and the Expressive Arts
An examination of the relationship between artistic expression and individual mental health. Theories and techniques of various art therapies will be studied relative to diagnosis and treatment as well as to personality integration and personal growth.
HPC 6370: Intermodal Expressive Arts Therapy
An examination of theories, techniques and functions of psychotherapeutic approaches using intermodal expressive arts, emphasizing cross-cultural contexts of creative expression and human development.
HPC 5535: Expressive Arts Institute: The Use of Creative and Expressive Arts with Children and Adolescents
This institute is designed to present a comprehensive and developmentally oriented approach for the application of play theories, techniques, and the creative/expressive arts to the process of counseling children and adolescents. The course consists of class discussions, presentations, cooperative and group experiential learning activities, videos, and "hands on" type of activities/projects which students will prepare and present. Students will learn the techniques of play therapy, art, music, movement, creative dramatics, sand-play, bibliotherapy, and puppetry in both the school and agency setting.
HPC 6535: Expressive Arts Summer Institute
This Summer Institute offers graduate students and professionals the opportunity to work with faculty and other students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. There is a large experiential component with opportunities to experience a number of different modalities. This "multi-level learning" experience includes content, personal growth, and professional development.
HPC 5870: Creative Process, Movement & Therapy
An examination of body awareness, creative expression, and movement in therapy. Particular attention will be paid to the concept of creative process and how it relates to human development, personality integration, and healing.
HPC 5860: Dreamwork: Clinical Methods
An in-depth study of dreamwork as a clinical method, including theoretical approaches to dreams, clinical issues and current trends, and cross-cultural perspectives on the role of dreams, myths and symbols in psychological healing. Click on the videos below for more information and to view a dreamwork dance presentation.
HPC 6160: Gestalt Therapy
An examination of the Gestalt Therapy model. The course combines experiential and conceptual approaches. Emphasis is placed on developing personal and unique styles of interventions within the framework of Gestalt Therapy.
HPC 6340: Ecotherapy
An in-depth study of the relationship of personal healing and the healing of the earth, including an examination of relevant emerging paradigms in psychology and counseling, including systems theory, the nature of consciousness, and ecopsychology.
HPC 6350: Body/Mind
A study of the interrelationship of physical and mental functioning as it pertains to counseling, including the mind/body problem as a systematic issue in psychology, exploration of the current resurgence of interest in the mind/body functioning relative to total well-being, and an overview of current uses of mind/body experiences as therapeutic techniques.
HPC 6380: Therapeutic Writing
An exploration of writing and the therapeutic process. Students will experience a variety of methods in using the written word to enhance client change as well as for self-care for the therapist.
HPC 6390: Current Issues in Expressive Arts Therapy
An examination of current issues in Expressive Arts Therapy, emphasizing cross-cultural contexts of creative expression and human development.
DAN 5460: Somatics
A survey course exploring several different approaches to body centered learning. A broad overview of methods of current bodywork will be introduced and explored. A secondary focus of the survey will be to foster body/mind/spirit integration through movement reeducation, conditioning, and an examination of lifestyle habits. The course will be lecture and experiential in nature.
DAN 5480: Advanced Pilates
A second level study of the Pilates method, base on the concepts of centering, concentration, control, precision, breath, and flow. This course will introduce the equipment and the apparatus developed by Joseph H. Pilates. Prerequisite: Pilates Conditioning (DAN 3480) or permission of the instructor.
MUS 5006: Philosophy of Music
An investigation of the major philosophies of music in both historical and contemporary perspectives. Particular emphasis is placed on aesthetic theory. The relationship between aesthetics of music educational methodology will be examined.
Independent Studies in special topics
