Sheena Cranwell

Project title: Vicarious Trauma Strategies: Protecting the Professional Wellbeing of Art Therapists working with Trauma.

Born in Brisbane in the 70s, a love of art, creativity and colour has influenced my use and exploration of varying expressive mediums in both my personal life and professional practice as a social worker. Having witnessed an increase in need for mental health support in the greater community, I set the goal of completing the Masters of Mental Health, Art Therapy with the University of Queensland to enhance my understanding of mental health presentations and gain skills in the provision of Art Therapy, as a therapeutic intervention. The alignment of my personal passion for art and my professional drive to improve therapeutic outcomes for my clients is the underlying energy of my artmaking process.

My research project, aimed at uncovering the different strategies art therapists may be using to protect against developing vicarious trauma, is one that holds great importance to me, as a student embarking into a therapeutic practice with clients impacted by possible trauma. Recognising the importance of general self-care for therapists, leads to my goal of identifying ways to preserve my own professional psychological wellbeing, uncovering helpful self-care tips for other art therapy students and the profession in general.

The aim of my artmaking for the exhibition was to capture my emotional, academic journey, as I investigate the topic of vicarious trauma strategies and the structured process required for a thesis project. My reflective art making is usually spontaneous, without specific directives, helping to capture the true essence of my emotions, with black ink being my preferred medium. However, as one who thrives on problem solving, curiosity and learning new skills, I often choose the use of alternative mediums, such as paint, textiles, and colour to enhance my interest and engagement in my creations. The purposefulness of my artmaking providing an experiential platform for myself, while capturing a creative depiction of a thesis journey on vicarious trauma strategies, through a Masters of Mental Health Art Therapy student’s lens.