Re: Parallel Reality#1 Clarence

Martin,

I have a couple of thoughts in relation to some of the questions you pose -

Confidentiality - I've found that many of those I work with want their names on their work. For some, the signature appears to be a written declaration of their survival and nothing else will do except their name on a piece. There's also the issue of pride. When they connect with themselves and create something they are proud of a piece of art, a poem, something tangible, they want to own it. I am also for protecting the client but I've wondered is confidentiality in this case at the expense of the client as well? My inclinations are that in many cases we should be trusting the clients to tell us what they want and need...? Sometimes I have them give themselves new names, in order to protect them and as a symbol that they can "be" what they want and need to be. They love this and come up with all kinds of creative names -- movie stars, cartoon characters, the choices themselves are interesting. I once had them write about renaming themselves after this.

Insight is definitely not the same as change. Although you can't have change until you have insight. Sometimes the change part doesn't come. At least that's what I've found. "I know" or "I see", does not necessarily mean I can make anything differentor will. Insight and recognition appear to be steps in a long process, change come at the conclusion,if it does...

In relation to the value of the art therapy session and Clarence's responses - I think for Clarence he found a way to release the feelings inside and it was a way that was comfortable for him. He was also drawn to ultimately add words to explain what he needed to explain. He could have written pain makes my head hurt but he wrote "so much pain..." He needed to quantify the extent of his pain in his words. I find that very telling.

In what environment were you working with him?

Replies:

Re: Parallel Reality#1 Clarence, by Martin Perdoux, 07/17/00

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