Janice Chen

Project Title: A heuristic self-inquiry using the El Duende one-canvas process painting (EDPP) approach to explore the development of dual professional identities in occupational therapy and art therapy

Growing up in Singapore as a student who chose to specialise in mainly science-based subjects, I used to view myself as a logical and analytical “science person” who was “not artistic” and struggled to attain passing grades for art at school. My perspective towards art shifted in 2015 when I started working as an occupational therapist within an acute psychiatric setting. In this role, I conducted inpatient occupational therapy group sessions which involved a variety of activities, including art and craft. This was when I started exploring and experimenting with different art media, reminding myself as I did my clients to focus on the process more than the product, and to adopt a non-judgemental attitude towards ourselves and our artwork.

Through the years, I have witnessed and experienced the power and therapeutic effect of artmaking in the lives of my clients’ and my own, which led me to pursue formal art therapy education to be better equipped in the use of art as part of the healing process in my work with clients.

As practitioner who still strongly identifies with the principles and philosophy of my first chosen profession, I became curious about the relationship between art therapy and occupational therapy. I was also interested to discover how my professional identity would evolve through the art therapy program. I chose to engage in a heuristic research process as it has been recognised as a means for personal and professional development. The transformation I would likely undergo as a heuristic researcher has the potential to synergise with and enhance my personal experience of professional identity development as an emerging art therapist.

The artwork showcases an eclectic use of various art media and forms, which reflects my ongoing and continued exploration into the world of art. The experience creating them was a journey that reflects not just my research process, but also one in which I had to confront and overcome some of the fears and previously held beliefs I had towards art.