' These fears are, to some extent, rooted in the mistaken belief that skills in the arts are innate and inherited rather than sets of component skills that can be learned and integrated into a whole skill" (p. 147). Notwithstanding the adage concerning old dogs and new tricks, though, the elderly are certainly capable of acquiring the skills they need to actively participate in a therapeutic treatment setting using poetry as the focal point. The quality of the poetry involved, of course, is not the issue, but rather the manner in which these works are used. In this regard, Ziff and Beamish also note that, "The arts are powerful tools in counseling. Like many counseling techniques, the arts have the potential to remove barriers, create intimacy, and promote self-discovery" (p. 148). Likewise, Thompson (2003) emphasizes that it is not the quality of the poetry involved, but the act itself that can contribute to a healing experience. According to this author, "The focus of poetry as art is the poem itself, but the focus of poetry for healing is self-expression and growth of the individual. Both art and healing use the same tools and techniques-language,...
129).
References
Bolton, G., Field, V. & Thompson, K. (2006). Writing works: A resource handbook for therapeutic writing workshops and activities. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Bolton, G. (1999). The therapeutic potential of creative writing: Writing myself. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Furman, R., Langer, C.L. & Anderson, D.K. (2006). The poet/practitioner: A paradigm for the profession. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 33(3), 29-30.
Hynes, a.M., & Wedl, L.C. (1990). Bibliotherapy: An interactive process in counseling older persons. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 12(3), 288-302 in Thompson at p. 129.
Thompson, R.A. (2003). Counseling techniques: Improving relationships with others, ourselves, our families, and our environment. New York: Brunner-Routledge.
Ziff, K.K. & Beamish, P.M. (2004). Teaching a course on the arts and counseling: Experiential learning in counselor education. Counselor Education and Supervision, 44(2), 147-148.
