Group Art Therapy for Palliative Care

These interventions are designed to bring together terminally ill adult patients and their loved ones, whether family, friends and/or support members. The emphasis upon interpersonal relations emerges from the intent to accommodate culturally specific needs which may exist in a collectivist fashion according to the client, and which have only been marginally addressed in previous interventions for palliative care patients. The location of the interventions may vary so that it could be applicable in hospital, hospice or home environments; considerations are made in order to address the circumstances of various locations. The methodology applies a group art therapy approach in which participants create art which signify memories and important moments that they have shared together, with an emphasis upon those shared with the terminally ill patient. Following the creation of art produced from a chosen intervention, the group is prompted to discuss their artworks and the affect they feel in relation to them, with the aim of encouraging open communication between participants. The frequency and duration of the intervention will vary in accordance with client-specific circumstances. After the terminally ill client has passed away, the remainder of the participants will be provided with an opportunity to engage in a final session during which they may process their emotions as a group.