Very early art therapy intervention: Why work with infants and their caregivers?

TY - CHAP

T1 - Very early art therapy intervention

T2 - Why work with infants and their caregivers?

AU - Armstrong, Vicky

PY - 2024/1/25

Y1 - 2024/1/25

N2 - This chapter looks at the importance of early attachment relationships for infant development and wellbeing and why these relationships may need to be supported through early intervention. It considers the theoretical basis for using an art therapy approach with this client group and the ways in which art may bring caregivers and their young children together by creating positive interactive experiences. An art psychotherapy approach can use the process of shared art making to support nurturing, synchronous, regulatory, and mind-minded interactions with caregivers, known to be key in building positive attachment. Case vignettes are used to ground this discussion with examples of an art psychotherapy approach in practice within the Art at the Start project in order to examine and better understand the ways in which the art making process can facilitate positive interactions and communication within parent-infant dyads.

AB - This chapter looks at the importance of early attachment relationships for infant development and wellbeing and why these relationships may need to be supported through early intervention. It considers the theoretical basis for using an art therapy approach with this client group and the ways in which art may bring caregivers and their young children together by creating positive interactive experiences. An art psychotherapy approach can use the process of shared art making to support nurturing, synchronous, regulatory, and mind-minded interactions with caregivers, known to be key in building positive attachment. Case vignettes are used to ground this discussion with examples of an art psychotherapy approach in practice within the Art at the Start project in order to examine and better understand the ways in which the art making process can facilitate positive interactions and communication within parent-infant dyads.

KW - art therapy

KW - parent infant

KW - early relationships

KW - early intervention

KW - infant mental health

KW - attachments

UR - https://www.routledge.com/Arts-Therapies-and-the-Mental-Health-of-Children-and-Young-People-Contemporary/Herrmann-Hills-de-Zarate-Hunter-Pitruzzella/p/book/9781032182940#

U2 - 10.4324/9781003265610-2

DO - 10.4324/9781003265610-2

M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)

SN - 9781032182940

VL - 2

T3 - International Research in the Arts Therapies

BT - Arts Therapies and the Mental Health of Children and Young People

A2 - Herrmann, Uwe

A2 - Hills de Zarate, Margaret

A2 - Hunter, Heather M

A2 - Pitruzzella, Salvo

PB - Routledge

CY - London

ER -