Think of it the ability to image beyond ourselves into liminal realm of the unknown. It is an essential tool for survival. I spent all of last night reading about aggression, homicide, and violent imagery - all important realities which confront art therapists, especially young new ones working in prisons and juvenile facilities and psychiatric hospitals. I was preparing for my class tonight, which.....you guessed it!...I had to cancel because I spent a third day in bed. I am much better thank you, even able to eat a bowl of soup with chips and take my ancient dog for a stroll, but standing for any extended period is really above and beyond. There is always tomorrow....
As I was saying imagination; the ability to symbolize; what the child in the poem The Land of Counterpane is able to do, is often lacking in children who have been so deprived and traumatized that imagining or symbolizing is so threatening that they just can't do it, they can't play except to repeat what has been done to them (brutality or neglect) and they often grow up uninterested or unable to read or be interested in ideas or language. The language and culture of violence is action, most often impulsive action. Youthful murders and gang members often have less ability for academic learning and more brain damage than others.
I teach my students that we support the creation of violent images (within limits). Little kids, young adolescent boys, lots of teens like weapons and violent images. The less censorship there is the more therapeutic. But we also promote the exploration of the image, the feeling, the impulse to create provocative and threatening objects. Exploration of meaning, and perhaps alternatives, leads to better self understanding and expanded ability for symbolization - more trust in one's own mind to create safe images. Without this exploration - which can lead to what we call "sublimation" of the violent impulse in to something productive, beautiful, good feeling - the creation of violent images can just be practicing for violent acts - bullying, gang banging, suicide, and murder.
I have lovely memories of my own imaginary play with my siblings and of my children with their small friends digging tunnels in the yard at Cape Cod as the sun is setting and they are fighting dragons.
Play is child's work. Of that there is no doubt. Too bad those in power can't go back to nursery school.
There I've just given my lecture for the night!
As I was saying imagination; the ability to symbolize; what the child in the poem The Land of Counterpane is able to do, is often lacking in children who have been so deprived and traumatized that imagining or symbolizing is so threatening that they just can't do it, they can't play except to repeat what has been done to them (brutality or neglect) and they often grow up uninterested or unable to read or be interested in ideas or language. The language and culture of violence is action, most often impulsive action. Youthful murders and gang members often have less ability for academic learning and more brain damage than others.
I teach my students that we support the creation of violent images (within limits). Little kids, young adolescent boys, lots of teens like weapons and violent images. The less censorship there is the more therapeutic. But we also promote the exploration of the image, the feeling, the impulse to create provocative and threatening objects. Exploration of meaning, and perhaps alternatives, leads to better self understanding and expanded ability for symbolization - more trust in one's own mind to create safe images. Without this exploration - which can lead to what we call "sublimation" of the violent impulse in to something productive, beautiful, good feeling - the creation of violent images can just be practicing for violent acts - bullying, gang banging, suicide, and murder.
I have lovely memories of my own imaginary play with my siblings and of my children with their small friends digging tunnels in the yard at Cape Cod as the sun is setting and they are fighting dragons.
Play is child's work. Of that there is no doubt. Too bad those in power can't go back to nursery school.
There I've just given my lecture for the night!
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