Somatic Art Therapy: Alleviating Pain and Trauma Through Art, Paperback

This book focuses on somatic art therapy for treating acute or chronic pain, especially resulting from physical and/or psychological trauma. It discusses the role of the psyche in physical healing and encourages combining of traditional medicine and holistic perspectives in treatment.

Translated from the French text, this volume provides case studies and examples from the author's art psychotherapy practice of 40 years, including the four-quadrants method. Chapters review the current treatments for chronic pain and PTSD and focus on art therapeutic methods to treat those conditions, such as art therapy protocols for PTSD. The book exposes the underlying rational of somatic art therapy, covering art therapy effectiveness, Levine's somatic dissociation, van der Kolk's somatic memory, and Scaer's procedural memory concepts. Also featured are chapter contributions from art therapists Sophie Boudrias, Mylène Piché, and Dr. Patcharin Sughondhabirom.

By providing a unique, clear and concise synthesis of available art therapy methods this text will appeal both to the general and professional public, including professional art therapists, psychotherapists, helping relation professionals, and medical practitioners.

About author(s):

Johanne Hamel, DPs, psychologist and art psychotherapist, specializes in Somatic art therapy as well as in Dreamwork and art therapy. She is an International lecturer in Canada, Europe, USA and Thailand.

Hélène Hamel is a self-employed translator who holds an Honors degree in translation and has been working mainly from English to French for more than 30 years.