Mindfulness-based art therapies (MBAT) in literature and Türkiye

Mindfulness-based art therapies (MBAT) combine mindfulness practices with various art modalities, such as drawing, painting, sculpture, and movement, to help individuals explore and express their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. MBAT is an emerging field with growing interest from both the art therapy and mindfulness communities. Here are some resources and citations that may help understand MBAT:

The Handbook of Art Therapy, Second Edition by Cathy A. Malchiodi (2019) - This comprehensive textbook includes a chapter on "Mindfulness and Art Therapy," which provides an overview of MBAT and its theoretical foundations.

Mindfulness and the Arts Therapies: Theory and Practice edited by Laury Rappaport and Sam Himelstein (2014) - This edited volume features chapters from various art therapists and mindfulness practitioners, exploring different approaches to MBAT and their clinical applications.

"Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy: A Review of the Literature" by Tessa Watson and Susan R. Meyer (2010) - This article provides a systematic review of the existing research on MBAT, highlighting its potential benefits for various populations, including individuals with depression, anxiety, and chronic pain.

"Art therapy, mindfulness, and the use of mandalas in cancer care: A case study" by Kelly P. Renn and Patricia V. Scott (2015) - This case study illustrates the use of MBAT in the context of cancer care, demonstrating how art-making and mindfulness practices can support individuals in coping with the emotional and physical challenges of cancer treatment.

"Mindfulness-based expressive arts therapy and students with disabilities: A mixed methods study" by Rebecca E. Michel, et al. (2019) - This study explores the use of MBAT with students with disabilities, showing how art-making and mindfulness practices can promote social-emotional learning and self-awareness.

Regarding the interest in MBAT in Türkiye, there is limited research on Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy (MBAT) specifically conducted in Turkey, but here are a few studies as follows:

"The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy on Psychological Symptoms of Women with Breast Cancer" by N. Figen Akarçay-Yaşar and Ayşe Yalçın İbiş (2019) - This study investigated the effects of MBAT on psychological symptoms in women with breast cancer in Turkey. The results showed that MBAT significantly reduced anxiety and depression symptoms.

"A Pilot Study of Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy in Turkish Women with Fibromyalgia" by Ayşe Yalçın İbiş and Sibel Çıtak (2021) - This pilot study examined the feasibility and potential benefits of MBAT for women with fibromyalgia in Turkey. The results showed that MBAT was feasible and acceptable to the participants and had positive effects on pain, sleep quality, anxiety, depression, and quality of life.

"The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy on Anxiety, Depression, and Stress Levels of University Students" by Mehtap Tan (2020) - This study investigated the effects of MBAT on anxiety, depression, and stress levels in university students in Turkey. The results showed that MBAT significantly reduced anxiety, depression, and stress levels.

Within the scope of field studies in the project titled "Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy as Effective Tool to Improve Mental Health of Seniors in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic, MBAT4Seniors", which started 1 year ago and carried out within the scope of European Union Erasmus+ program Main Action2 Strategic Partnerships in Adult Education. We had the opportunity to interview the health professionals (psychologists, nurses, physiotherapists and caregivers working in the physical therapy hospital) who constitute the target group. As it can be understood from the questions we asked in this context, MBAT is still seen as a very new innovation suitable for application in many fields. While we await our research, the results of which will be announced here in the coming days, we strongly recommend you to read the resources that we find useful to share with you. By the way, don't forget to follow us both on our website and on our social media channels!!!

https://mbat4seniors.com/

https://www.facebook.com/mbat4seniors

Resources:

Akarçay-Yaşar, N. F., & İbiş, A. Y. (2019). The effect of mindfulness-based art therapy on psychological symptoms of women with breast cancer. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 37(4), 457-468.

İbiş, A. Y., & Çıtak, S. (2021). A pilot study of mindfulness-based art therapy in Turkish women with fibromyalgia. Arts in Psychotherapy, 73, 101734.

Malchiodi, C. A. (2019). The handbook of art therapy (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Michel, R. E., et al. (2019). Mindfulness-based expressive arts therapy and students with disabilities: A mixed methods study. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 14(1), 80-95.

Rappaport, L., & Himelstein, S. (Eds.). (2014). Mindfulness and the arts therapies: Theory and practice. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Renn, K. P., & Scott, P. V. (2015). Art therapy, mindfulness, and the use of mandalas in cancer care: A case study. Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 32(1), 38-48.

Tan, M. (2020). The effects of mindfulness-based art therapy on anxiety, depression, and stress levels of university students. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 8(12), 6309-6317.

Watson, T., & Meyer, S. R. (2010). Mindfulness-based art therapy: A review of the literature. Art Therapy, 27(4), 160-168.

Ercan KÜÇÜKARSLAN

MUCUR SAĞLIK SOSYAL EĞİTİM VE YARDIMLAŞMA VAKFI

Ankara, Türkiye