It is perhaps for this reason that Natalie Rogers' person-centered approach to art therapy is the preferred approach, as it allows for artistic expression in a multitude of ways -- art, dance, drama, etc. -- and it is the patient or "client" who decides what works best for them. Said Carl Rogers of his person-centered techniques, and also his relationship with his clients:
the relationship with I have found helpful is characterized by a sort of transparency on my part, in which my feelings are evident; by an acceptance of this other person as a separate person with value in his [or her] own right; and by a deep empathetic understanding which enables me to see his private world through his eyes. (Sommers-Flanagan 121)
In other words, the key to successful art therapy is the therapist's acknowledgement and appreciation of the differences -- cultural, racial, and otherwise -- between himself and the patient, and also his ability to communicate that understanding in an empathetic light.
References
Beavis, M. And Bull, S. (2008)....
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