Art, adolescence and Social Work: Anja, the invisible manager

This article has been written with the intention of being able to analyse the contributions of art —theatre, in this case— to the practice of social work. For this purpose, we have chosen to read the social reality in which we intervene through the lens of social constructionism. This helps us to rescue the social and subjective side of art, and, moreover, to recover the depathologization of the subject in professional intervention. Thus, using a practical case taken from work with adolescents in the German FSJ programme, hand-in-hand with a young girl called Anja we trace the developmental and sociological aspects of adolescence in order to later address certain common points of art and psychosocial work. Art will hence be redefined as a transitional object allowing questions to be addressed relating to (self-) perception, attachment, communication and changes in conduct as the ultimate goal of professional action. Lastly, we note the limitations and risks of art-based intervention, in order to conclude with a final synopsis.

On gathering in Art therapy: a way to understand and build the discipline with the other

In the present article I try to share some reflections on a case study of an attachment disorder child I worked with for two years through art therapy in a day hospital. Those reflections let me go deeply in some specific elements concerning the discipline which let us delimit its theoretical and methodological possible scope. In this way, from the specific of the case study on propose to reflect on those elements that conform a methodology related to the art therapist way of doing, in order to concrete and evaluate other possible interventions to develop in similar cases and contexts.