Under the Cobblestones: Politics and Possibilities of the Art Therapy Large Group.

This paper discusses the politics and possibilities of linking the personal and political with therapeutic and social transformation through a teaching method provided on the art therapy training at Goldsmiths, the art therapy large group (ATLG). Three key ideas of May 68 are related to the ATLG and their relevance to other psychotherapies and psychotherapy trainings is considered. These are: the importance of the ‘capitalist’ university as an essential terrain in the struggle for social change; the Atelier Populaire’s use of art in an anti capitalist critique of the commodification of art and artist in society; and the anti imperialist character of the May events. These ideas are related to the theoretical base of the ATLG in the large verbal group literature, performance art and to the wide international membership of the ATLG creating a forum for engaging with global issues. To illustrate these points, we give an example of the interface of the political and the impact of a real event, the university lecturers’ strike in 2007 and the learning that took place in relation to this through the ATLG. We conclude that through a critical engagement with the university within the global terrain of contemporary neo-liberalism, the ATLG provides a territory that can: integrates the political and therapeutic in arts/psychotherapy trainings; provides a critique and alternative to the commodification of art and artist; engages with issues of difference in the globalized market place. The ATLG prepares the artist/student/therapist/worker to critically engage in the personal and social transformation of the politics of art and psychotherapy provision in the public, private and voluntary sectors

The art therapy large group as a teaching method for the institutional and political aspects of professional training

This paper discusses a unique experiential teaching method in the context of training for art psychotherapists and raises issues relevant to teaching for all workers in health and social care. The art therapy large experiential group of all the students and all the staff (80+), which is held six times a year on the 2-year full-time/3-year part-time programme, is identified with three educational components: learning about art therapy processes, learning about the educational process of becoming a professional, and learning about institutional and political issues relevant for the work-place. This educational method engages the unconscious dynamics of both students and staff and brings this together, through creative activity, with a critical engagement in social and political issues. The group has implications for all health workers in its attention to non-verbal communication, activity as a means to learning and agency in institutional issues in the work-place. The paper brings together a case example in which students were able to process the impact of a nationwide, union strike in the university, with relevant literature from large group theory, small art therapy group theory and performance art. Discussion is given to the process by which the art therapy large group meets its learning objectives

Editorial

The organising committee of the INTERNATIONAL ART THERAPY CONFERENCE, Finding a voice, making your mark: Defining Art Therapy for the 21st century that took place at Goldsmiths, University of London on 8th-11th April 2013, are very pleased to be invited to present the Conference Proceedings in this issue of ATOL, Volume 5, Issue 1

Internal control over financial reporting and managerial rent extraction: Evidence from the profitability of insider trading

__Abstract__ This paper examines the association between ineffective internal control over financial reporting and the profitability of insider trading. We predict and find that the profitability of insider trading is significantly greater in firms disclosing material weaknesses in internal control relative to firms with effective control. The positive association is present in the years leading up to the disclosure of material weaknesses, but disappears after remediation of the internal control problems. We find insider trading profitability is even greater when insiders are more likely to act in their own self-interest as indicated by auditors’ weak “tone at the top” adverse internal control opinions and this incremental profitability is driven by insider selling. Our research identifies a new setting where shareholders are most at risk for wealth transfers via insider trading and highlights market consequences of weak “tone at the top”

Public and Private Spaces in Art Therapy

This paper explores the public/private binary in art therapy. The public space is often associated with art being taken out of the art therapeutic space to be exhibited in galleries and sometimes sold, one of the aims being to promote art therapy practice and the plight of those who participate in it. Here it sits uncomfortably with the idea of art as commodity. The private space is associated with art therapeutic practice that is confidential and in which the art stays within the boundary of the therapy until therapy is finished. The emphasis is more commonly on process than product. However, art therapy sessions themselves have now also become commodities to be bought and sold. The paper argues that the public/private binary is operational in all art therapy practice whether or not the art leaves the therapeutic space. Art is a language that, by definition, can communicate without artist/patient to explain it or identifiable audience to view it. It exists between ‘self’ and ‘other’, but ‘self’ is infused with the public and social world and ‘other’ contains the projections of the self. The paper explores how these private/public dynamics can be harnessed, in an ethical way, to best serve our clients. Art therapy work from a group for victims of torture is used to illustrate the points. Keywords: Groups, Ethics, Refugees, Exhibition, Charities, Boundaries

A Collaborative approach: Care staff and families working together to safeguard the quality of life of residents living with advanced dementia

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the quality of life and well-being of care home residents living with advanced dementia, how personalised care can be achieved where the person is completely dependent on others for care and how individuals’ choices and human rights were upheld. Methods: The study design used a qualitative approach, with data collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 8 family members, all of whom visited daily, and 8 care staff. Results: Emerging themes highlighted the importance of family involvement, signs of well-being, communication and the valued role of direct care staff. Discussion: Participants were able to identify factors of residents’ well-being in residents living with advanced dementia. Family members who visited daily saw themselves working collaboratively with care staff to maintain the quality of life of their relatives and engage in proxy decision making. Regarding human rights, the emphasis was on avoiding abuse, rather than promoting well-being