Book review
Review of the Book “Art and Well-being" by Jelena Kovačević
Sabrina Mazzola Roguljić
orcid.org/0009-0002-6422-5738
; The Child and Youth Center for Psychotherapy, Monaco The British School of Monaco
Abstract
The Faculty of Educational Sciences in Osijek published a new book in the field of art therapy in 2023. Author, Jelena Kovačević, is an art therapist and
teacher at the Faculty of Educational Sciences and the Art Therapy Program
at the Academy of Art and Culture at the University of Josip Juraj Strossmayer
in Osijek, Croatia. The book provides a detailed explanation and description
of the benefits of artistic creation, guiding the reader through fundamental
concepts and etymology in psychology, visual expression, and visual language. It gradually prepares the reader for the therapeutic role of art, offering
insights into the origins of art therapy and its approaches, with a particular
emphasis on the Expressive Therapies Continuum (Kagin and Lusebrink,
1978). The author explores various ways how art therapy and visual processes
function, highlighting the importance of material selection, creative work, and
establishing a strong alliance with an art psychotherapist.
Alongside several suggestions for fostering creativity, the author presents
practical examples of art activities aimed at individuals who wish to
independently explore their creativity, express emotions and thoughts, with
the goals of self-awareness of inner processes, identity exploration, and
encouraging free visual expression. The author underscores the need for caution when independently engaging in visual activities with elements of art
therapy and recommends seeking professional guidance from an art therapist.
Keywords
well-being, visual language, visual arts, art therapy, art as therapy, creativity
Hrčak ID:
327421
URI
Publication date:
30.12.2024.
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