Art Therapy and Learning Disabilities: "Don't guess my happiness"

by Bull; Stephanie

• ISBN13: 9780415583244
• ISBN10: 0415583241
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2012-06-12
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

In this book Stephanie Bull and Kevin O'Farrell bring together practising clinicians who provide an insight into using contemporary art therapy with people with learning disabilities. The authentic voice of people who have learning disabilities is central to the book and case examples, snap shots of thoughts, dialogue, photographs and artwork are included to ensure that the subject's voice is heard. The book covers: having a learning disability loss and bereavement attachment and separation infantilization fear powerlessness self and identity This accessible and thought-provoking book is essential reading for anyone involved with people with learning disabilities including art therapists, psychotherapists, counsellors, students and carers.

Author Biography

Stephanie Bull has worked as an art therapist with adults with learning disabilities since 1994. Kevin O'Farrell has worked in social services with adults with learning disabilities for several years. Since January 2001, he has been employed as an art therapist by by Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust in the New Forest Community Team.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations	p. ix
List of contributors	p. xi
Foreword	p. xv
Acknowledgements	p. xix
'Don't guess my happiness!'	p. 1
Introduction: learning disabilities, art therapy and the common themes	p. 3
Personalisation and a new landscape for learning disability services	p. 18
Talking about learning disability services	p. 35
Having a learning disability	p. 37
Having a learning disability: the question of what to say and how to say it	p. 39
Loss	p. 53
Bereavement and learning disabilities: a theoretical overview	p. 55
Shaping loss	p. 58
Talking about loss	p. 74
Leila's shunt: 'If I did not have the shunt in my head I would have been OK'	p. 75
Talking about ending	p. 83
Attachment and separation	p. 85
Skating in the dark	p. 87
Infantilisation	p. 105
Stuck in childhood?	p. 107
Fear	p. 117
Talking about fear and anxiety	p. 119
'The long fingers of fear'	p. 120
Powerlessness	p. 137
'It makes me jump when I fall over'	p. 139
Self and identity	p. 153
'The Beast can scream'	p. 155
Talking about taking photographs	p. 164
Conclusion	p. 165
Index	p. 169
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