Art Therapy

Journal of the American Art Therapy Association

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Art Therapy: A Transdisciplinary Approach

Amy Bucciarelli

To cite this article: Amy Bucciarelli (2016) Art Therapy: A Transdisciplinary Approach, Art
Therapy, 33:3, 151-155, DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2016.1199246

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 Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 33(3) pp. 151–155, © AATA, Inc. 2016
brief report
Art Therapy: A Transdisciplinary Approach
Amy Bucciarelli
Abstract
Historically, art therapy has struggled to clearly define itself as
a profession while simultaneously embracing the range of
perspectives and knowledge that contribute to clinical practices. In
this brief report the author suggests that by shifting the
conceptualization of the field from “interdisciplinary” to
“transdisciplinary,” art therapists will find clarity and strength
without needing a new definition or ways of practicing. When
examined from a transdisciplinary perspective, the definition of art
therapy is not limited by conceptual perspectives or
compartmentalized by theoretical approaches. A transdisciplinary
perspective embraces diversity, flexibility, and innovation while
offering a sense of autonomy, inclusion, and collaboration for the
field. This report outlines the characteristics of a transdisciplinary
perspective and demonstrates that when we look through a
transdisciplinary lens, art therapy—as it stands today—is a well-
defined and vibrant field.
Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association
recently invited authors to present revised definitions of art
therapy relevant to contemporary practices. The call for
papers cited Ulman’s (1975) article, “Art Therapy: Prob-
lems of Definition” as a “classic in defining the field of art
therapy” (American Art Therapy Association [AATA],
2015, p. 155) and stated that the “traditional dichotomous
view” that Ulman presented in her article “has dominated
the field of art therapy for the past four decades” (AATA,
2015, p. 155).
The reference to Ulman’s (1975) article seems to imply
that art therapists are only now evolving beyond the binary
debate that art therapy is either about the process of art
making (e.g., art as therapy) or about the analysis of the art
product (e.g., art psychotherapy). Although these two per-
spectives are foundational to the history of art therapy, for
at least the past two decades it has been more commonly
agreed that art therapy is defined as a continuum of ideas
that guide theory and practice (AATA, n.d.; Gussak &
Rosal, 2016; Huss, 2015; Rubin, 1984; Wadeson, 2002).
Amy Bucciarelli is a board certified art therapist and lecturer
with the Center for Arts in Medicine and Assistant-In-Innovation
Academy at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Correspon-
dence concerning this article may be addressed to the author at
abucciarelli@ufl.edu
151
In her article, Ulman (1975) stated that she could have
compared the theories of other art therapy pioneers, but she
deliberately chose to compare Naumburg’s (art psychotherapy)
and Kramer’s (art as therapy) definitions because they were
both psychoanalytically oriented. Thus, the age-old debate is
mainly an arbitrary landmark that crystallized with Ulman’s
conceptualization, which created an early historical divide in
the field of art therapy. Ulman concluded her article by reiterat-
ing that “the proportions of art and therapy in art therapy may
vary within a wide range . . . but, anything called art therapy
must genuinely partake in both art and therapy” (1975, p. 26).
It seems that art therapists have been focusing on the wrong
half of Ulman’s closing remarks. Art therapy is not defined by
its proportions of “art” to “therapy”; rather, it is defined by a
field that fully embraces both art and therapy.
Contemporary art therapists have written about inclusive
and flexible models of art therapy (Huss, 2015; Kapitan, 2010;
Moon, 2001; Talwar, 2010). Yet many of them search for a
common theory of art therapy, which is ultimately still limiting
and dividing. The practice of art therapy is dependent on a
dynamic interplay of changing variables, including treatment
setting and length of treatment; the background, capabilities,
interests, and needs of the client or community; resources avail-
able at the therapy site; an art therapist’s theoretical orientation;
and the art therapist’s personal experiences.
In this report, I suggest that as art therapists we shift
our focus away from theoretical approaches and nuanced
definitions to examine the identity of the field as a whole.
Art therapy viewed as a transdisciplinary field embraces
unity within diversity, collaboration within autonomy,
and innovation that still honors art therapy’s historical
roots.
Art Therapy as Interdisciplinary
Art therapy is commonly described as an interdisciplinary
field (Gussak & Rosal, 2016; Kapitan, 2011; Moon 2001).
That is, art therapists combine approaches from fields such as
visual art, counseling, art education, rehabilitation, anthropol-
ogy, neuroscience, and the study of creativity to create “art ther-
apy” (Edwards, 2004; Junge, 2010; Rubin, 1999). An
interdisciplinary field utilizes concepts, methods, and theories
from two or more distinct disciplines that work together in
order to find answers to common problems (Choi & Pak,
2006; Ingraham, 2015; Lawrence, 2010; Mobj€ork, 2010).
152 TRANSDISCIPLINARY APPROACH
Although this perspective is helpful when describing the
unique work of art therapists, it also reduces art therapy to the
sum of its parts: art, psychotherapy, anthropology, and so forth.
By definition, the inter in interdisciplinary means to “exist
between or among.” Therefore, conceptualizing the field of art
therapy as interdisciplinary leaves art therapists in a metaphoric
state of limbo. To illustrate this point, I will simplify the idea of
“art therapy” to a hybrid between visual art and psychotherapy.
If art therapy is abstracted among art and therapy, or is existing
between the fields of art and therapy, it lacks a true identity of
it’s own, leading to the historical tug-of-war that Ulman
(1975) wrote about. Furthermore, viewing art therapy as an
interdisciplinary field reinforces an identity crisis in the work-
place, raising various questions: Do art therapists belong in the
Social Work Department, the Child Life Department, or the
Occupational Therapy Department? Why aren’t the art thera-
pists in the Art Therapy Department?
Authors have acknowledged that the practice of art therapy
and the identity of art therapists are intimately connected
(Kapitan, 2010; Moon, 2001; Talwar, 2010; Ulman, 1975). Art
therapy pioneers integrated knowledge and experience from
their varied original disciplines (Junge, 2010); thus, art therapy
was rightfully interdisciplinary. Now, half a decade later, there is
danger in continuing to identify the field as interdisciplinary.
Interdisciplinarity encourages professionals to remain tied to
their original identities—for example, artist, art educator, or
counselor (Choi & Pak, 2006; Nicolescu, 2010). Their identity
might never evolve to something new: art therapist. A review of
the history of art therapy (Junge, 2010) reveals that the interdisci-
plinary model creates territorial debates about whose theory is
correct. Healthy discussions about approaches in the field are
important to its growth, but they should not be splintering.
Therefore—if we refocus—the definition of art therapy is
not strengthened by any one answer (that is to say, theoretical
approaches to define art therapy); instead, it is fortified by a
common question: How might we use art and the creative pro-
cess to treat psychosocial distress and to increase holistic well-
being? The reason people were unified at the foundation of the
art therapy field is because they were interested in common
inquiry about the therapeutic use of art. Thus, if we remove
our interdisciplinary lens and replace it with a transdisciplinary
lens we may capture a fuller picture of the field.
Art Therapy as Transdisciplinary
Conceptualizing art therapy as transdisciplinary builds a
well-rounded and comprehensive foundation for art therapy.
The prefix trans, meaning “beyond,” “through,” or “so as to
change,” indicates that by bringing together concepts of differ-
ing fields we transcend the boundaries of the independent disci-
plines, resulting in a more nuanced field that moves beyond yet
builds upon its foundational values (Choi & Pak, 2006; Law-
rence, 2010; Nicolescu, 2010; Rosenfield, 1992). For example,
art therapists know that making art in an art therapy session
moves beyond an expressive experience and becomes an avenue
for biopsychosocial transformation (Edwards, 2004; Gussak &
Rosal, 2016; Junge, 2010; Rubin, 2001). Similarly, psychologi-
cal theories are changed when they are delivered through art
materials that can influence expression and behaviors
(Lusebrink, 1990) within the relational triad of artwork, client,
and art therapist (Edwards, 2004). In a transdisciplinary model
of art therapy, the theories borrowed from psychology, sociol-
ogy, or biology are not overlaid on top of art processes; rather,
they are integrated into a completely new practice with com-
plex ideas unique to art therapy.
Visualizing an Art Therapy Model
Training in art therapy requires competencies in (a) studio
art techniques and processes; (b) counseling and psychological
theories; (c) career development and research models; (d) ethics,
culture, and diversity, and (e) psychopathology and human
growth and development (AATA, 2007). To date, the practice
of art therapy has mostly been discussed along a continuum that
incorporates some or all of these components (Gussak & Rosal,
2016; Huss, 2015; Rubin, 1984; Wadeson, 2002). A transdisci-
plinary perspective allows art therapists to expand their thinking
to a multidimensional model. Art therapy is an integrated com-
bination of art techniques and processes, psychological theories,
educational models, sociocultural constructs, and biological
understandings. Figure 1 shows that art therapy transcends each
individual component by requiring integration of all these
knowledge areas; art therapy cannot be practiced by excluding
any one area. As such, art therapists are encouraged to work com-
prehensively and inclusively, but also flexibly. A transdisciplinary
model in art therapy can be visualized as a star (see Figure 1)
with art therapy practice moving toward or away from the center,
and also up and down the star’s arms to meet the needs of the set-
ting, client, or community and an art therapist’s preferred thera-
peutic orientation.
The transdisciplinary model integrates the core competen-
cies taught in an art therapy master’s degree program. As art
therapists develop as practicing professionals, additional skills
and knowledge will continue to be integrated into the five
transdisciplinary areas that strengthen their practice. For exam-
ple, an art therapist who works with veterans diagnosed with
traumatic brain injury may place greater emphasis on a biologi-
cal understanding of client functioning. In this case, the art
therapist needs to know more about neurobiology, rehabilita-
tion strategies, and body responses to art processes than some-
one working in a community mental health setting. As such,
the biological arm of the transdisciplinary star might be empha-
sized in practice.
Six themes emerged from the literature that indicate how a
transdisciplinary perspective might strengthen the field of art
therapy. Art therapy as a transdisciplinary field assimilates disci-
plinary contexts and personal preferences into a comprehensive
framework that is unified, autonomous, holistic, collaborative,
flexible, and innovative.
Six Themes of Transdisciplinary Art
Therapy
Unified
A transdisciplinary approach moves beyond collegial col-
laborations and creates a paradigm that promotes combined
 BUCCIARELLI
Figure 1. Transdisciplinary Model of Art Therapy
knowledge free of disciplinary boundaries. For art therapy,
debates about theoretical orientations become unnecessary
because all aspects of the field are encompassed within the
star of the transdisciplinary model in Figure 1. Thought tran-
scends hierarchical and either/or thinking to arrive at a full
systems approach (Choi & Pak, 2006; Lawrence, 2010; Nic-
olescu, 2010). Although transdisciplinarity aims to rise above
limiting structures, it is not without boundaries and thus still
requires critical reflection by professionals to determine valid
knowledge, appropriate scope of practice, and worthwhile
scholarly endeavors (Ingraham, 2015).
Autonomous
Rubin (2001) anticipated the emergence of a transdis-
ciplinary model, predicting that:
a theory about art therapy will eventually emerge from art
therapy itself. It will no doubt partake of elements from other
perspectives, but will need to have its own inner integrity in
terms of the creative process at its core. (p. 1)
Art therapy developed because people from different
disciplines integrated what they knew to create a new
practice specific to art therapy. Rubin (2001) envisioned
153
a unified theory but what we actually have is a unified
discipline that is autonomous as “art therapy.”
A transdisciplinary model helps demonstrate that art
made in an art therapy session is different from art made
with a volunteer artist or an arts educator. Art therapy
knowledge and processes are frequently intuitive and highly
interwoven (Gussak & Nyce, 1999). Transdisciplinary
knowledge cannot be unpacked and used a la carte. Knowl-
edge is integrated so that its application transcends the
boundaries of what was possible or understood in disci-
plines from which it was drawn (Rosenfield, 1992). A prac-
tical example is the Expressive Therapies Continuum,
which relies on a comprehensive understanding of art mate-
rials, human development, and psychological states in order
to structure art therapy sessions (Lusebrink, 1990). In a
time when fewer than half of art therapy clinicians practice
under the title “art therapist” (Elkins & Deaver, 2015),
clarifying that art therapy is unique from allied professions
is important for employability, art therapy licensure efforts,
and job creation opportunities.
Holistic
A landmark of transdisciplinary thinking is the incorpo-
ration of many ways of knowing, perceiving, and evaluating
154 TRANSDISCIPLINARY APPROACH
using knowledge from diverse sources to offer holistic perspec-
tives (Scholz & Steiner, 2015). Transdisciplinary ideology has
evolved particularly from collaborations between the sciences
and humanities. Transdisciplinary fields have the capacity to
focus on both the individual and the community in order to
solve complex human-centered problems requiring evidence-
based solutions combined with sociocultural awareness
(Arthur, Hall, & Lawrence, 1989; Gibbons & Nowotny,
2001; Lawrence, 2010; Nicolescu, 2010; Rosenfield, 1992;
Scholz & Steiner, 2015). Art therapy clients bring knowledge
and experiences to a session that influences the therapeutic
experience as much as the art therapist’s skills and approaches
do. Case studies and observations have been as important to
the evolution of art therapy as research studies (Kapitan, 2011).
Nicolescu (2010) noted that objective inquiries in science-
based disciplines have become culturally “superior”; in acade-
mia, however, in a rapidly changing world, holistic and inte-
grated methods of inquiry that allow diversity and flexibility
will be most valuable and sustainable. In this sense, art therapy
is well positioned for modern research methods and practice.
Art therapists pull from the quantitative science of biology,
medicine, and psychology while also integrating the qualitative
experiences of the artistic process, sociocultural influences, and
subjective emotional responses—what Gibbons and Nowotny
(2001) referred to as “socially robust knowledge” (p. 78).
Collaborative
Transdisciplinary knowledge develops not only within a
discipline through connections between theory and practice,
but also across the boundaries of disciplines (Lawrence, 2010).
Art therapy evolved because of active partnerships between peo-
ple who were both forming and informing the field—for exam-
ple, psychiatrists encouraging artists to work in psychiatric
facilities (Junge, 2010). The building blocks of knowledge that
formed the profession are not unique to art therapy, so there is
a significant amount of overlap among ideas, goals, and skills
with other aligned disciplines. Because a transdisciplinary field
transcends interdisciplinary thought and becomes unique unto
itself, there is no threat in openly sharing ideas. Medical art
therapists, for instance, might have common viewpoints with
child life specialists about developmentally appropriate coping
techniques for hospitalized patients; have similar rehabilitation
goals with physical therapists; and share art skills or techniques
with artists in residence. The specific knowledge and training
of art therapists distinguishes their skills from these other pro-
fessionals, yet art therapy is primed for collaboration with them
because the methods and language of art therapy and its aligned
fields complement one another.
Reciprocally, art therapy can contribute in valuable ways
to other disciplines. For instance, art therapists can be viable
contributors to the fields of sociology or anthropology when
these fields use art as a research method. There is an increasing
emphasis on teamwork across disciplines, particularly in
health-care settings and with research funding sources (Choi &
Pak, 2006; Gibbons & Nowotny 2001). Agencies expect that
professionals can collaborate to attain better results. When we
view art therapy through a transdisciplinary lens, we shift from
territorialism to confident cooperation.
Flexible
Historically, art therapists have worried that discrep-
ancy around how we work means that we are not unified
(Ulman 1975). A transdisciplinary model allows room for
ambiguity and diversity because it is flexible across place
and time (Arthur et al., 1989; Gibbons & Nowotny, 2001;
Mobj€ork, 2010). Theories are understood to be ways that
people deal with their reality at a particular place and
moment in time (Huss, 2015). The theories of psychoanal-
ysis were themselves created within a particular sociocul-
tural context of the Western world in the early 1900s.
Similarly, the common art therapy dichotomies—craft ver-
sus art, process versus product—were influenced by the
periods from which they emerged.
A transdisciplinary field is responsive to context (Arthur
et al., 1989; Gibbons & Nowotny, 2001; Mobj€ork, 2010)
whereas an interdisciplinary profession might eventually be
limited by the boundaries of a theory or the contributing disci-
plines (Lawrence, 2010). Art therapists can use our intuitive
creativity to fluidly shift our thinking and practice. Thus, we
have access to finding multiple solutions that meet the chang-
ing needs of people we serve while being sensitive to varied set-
tings and scope of practice. Self-esteem issues, for example,
could be addressed by focusing on gender identity, socioeco-
nomic barriers, or mental constructs. With the range of work
settings, client populations, managed care guidelines, and per-
sonal experiences that shape today’s art therapy climate, art
therapists must be flexible at a practical level.
Innovative
Innovation utilizes creative processes like divergent think-
ing and analogical thought to create novel ideas and unique
approaches (Davis, 2004). The founders of art therapy were
forward-thinking innovators who combined ideas from a range
of fields to form a new and exciting discipline. Innovation is
driven by inquisitive mindsets, the willingness to take risks, and
an openness to responsive transformation. Unconventional
ideas are not only accepted in transdisciplinary work, they pro-
pel the field forward. Innovation is ultimately connected to via-
bility, supporting change and growth to sustain relevance and
forge professional leadership (Rosenfield, 1992). Art therapists
can capitalize on our inherent creative capacity to nurture a cul-
ture of innovation for both research and practice.
Conclusions
Art therapy envisioned as a transdisciplinary field encour-
ages art therapists to look beyond theoretical differences. A
transdisciplinary model illuminates what contemporary art
therapy scholars acknowledge: that art therapy encompasses
many approaches, perspectives, and ideas (Edwards, 2004;
Gussak & Rosal, 2016; Rubin, 2001). Transdisciplinarity ele-
vates diversity and demonstrates that art therapy is valuable and
applicable to a wide audience. Just like the field of art, which
contains countless artistic movements, art therapy is an autono-
mous field that is strengthened by variety in thought and prac-
tice. Consequently, the divergence of theories is not a
 BUCCIARELLI
roadblock but rather a sign that the art therapy field has fully
arrived.
A transdisciplinary approach allows art therapists to
recognize that the field is as forward thinking as it was
when it was founded. Art therapists are empowered to
move beyond the vision of current perspectives to continue
evolving at the pace of a rapidly changing world. As trans-
disciplinary participants, art therapists are called to let the
field rise in the name of innovative insights, holistic collabo-
rations, and confident solidarity.
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