Silence during art therapy—The client's perspective

Abstract

This study sought to better understand clients’ experience and perception of silence in art therapy sessions. The effect of silence on the therapeutic process, the creative process, and the therapeutic relationship was explored. In-depth, semi-structured interviews, were conducted with 10 clients currently in art therapy. The interviews sought to discover their attitudes, perceptions, and experiences, of silence. Analysis based on the Consensual Qualitative Research method yielded four primary domains: (1) The client's experiences of silence during art therapy, (2) The client's perceptions of the therapist's experiences and behavior during silence, (3) The impact of silence on the therapeutic relationship and the influence of this relationship on the experience of silence, and (4) The role of art materials during silence in therapy. The findings indicate that when art materials were involved in the creative process during moments of silence, clients had a more pleasant, and positive, experience than when art materials were not being used when silence ensued. This highlights the importance of art materials during the therapeutic process, particularly during moments of silence.