Expressive Arts principles

"Play is experimental; it opens up the possibilities of the world. We suffer when there is no play-space, no gap between what we are and what we can be. Play also requires that we give up knowledge and control; we must surrender to the back and forth of a process without knowing the result in advance." — Stephen Levine ¹

The Expressive Arts approach is founded on the idea that creativity is innate to all humans. Let's explore the fundamental principles that clarify how the creative process serves as a tool for transformation. How does Expressive Arts work, and what aspects are crucial?

Intermodality: Exploring through multiple creative forms

During the session, you explore through various creative forms and expressions such as visual art, sound, movement, writing, clay, role play, natural materials and more. Moving between these different forms helps to engage multiple senses, broadening your perception and the range of your research.

Low skill, high sensitivity

You don't need any previous artistic experience or special techniques to take part in an Expressive Arts session. Instead, the focus is on helping you to sensitize yourself and become highly receptive to the materials you're working with and their qualities. The process encourages you to immerse in the sensory experience of making, where meaning is discovered through sight, touch, movement, sound, texture, and more.

Poiesis: The way to respond to the world

From the Greek word meaning "to make," poiesis is the act of bringing something new into existence. It’s a response to your life experiences and the world around you, where you express your feelings, thoughts, and ideas in tangible forms. Through this creative process, you transform your inner emotions into something physical, allowing them to be witnessed and understood in a completely new way.

“…[human beings] have to find ways to respond to the world in which they find themselves, and then shape it so that it becomes an appropriate place for them to live... This basic activity of shaping in response to what is given, I believe, is characteristic of human beings throughout all of history and in all cultures. Our very existence in this world is an act of shaping or poiesis.” — Stephen Levine ²

Alternative reality: Decentering from a difficulty

"Decentering" is a central part of an Expressive Arts session, where you step away from a challenging situation and enter a space of creative play, guided by your senses and imagination. By putting the difficulty aside, you release your fixations and create room for exploration.

"... the move away from the narrow logic of thinking and acting that marks the helplessness around the “dead-end” situation in question. This is a move into the opening of surprising unpredictable unexpectedness, the experience within the logic of imagination." — Paolo J. Knill ¹

In this "alternative reality," also known as "flow," you become absorbed in what you're doing, fully present in the moment, and attuned to your impulses. You are in a highly sensitive listening state, deeply connected to yourself and the immediate space around you. Your authentic expression, curiosity and inner balance guide you in this reality.

In this imaginative space, you're more open to opposing ideas. Contradictions can coexist and interact, helping you form new connections and insights.

Phenomenological language: Describing experience "as it is"

When reflecting on the artistic process and product, you focus on your direct experience "as it is"—describing what you see, feel, and create—rather than on interpretation. You adopt the mindset of a researcher, paying attention to facts and technical details, recalling each step you took in art-making, and describing things as they appeared to you without adding extra meaning.

"... we need to stay on the surface of the work in aesthetic analysis... Observations are stated concretely and specifically about “what” we observed, “how,” “when,” and “where.” We also must be able to point out in space and time what we observe." — Paolo J. Knill ¹

Phenomenological, meaning descriptive, language helps you break out of your usual thinking patterns and notice what wasn’t obvious at first.

Resource-based approach: Tapping into inner resources

As you go through the process, you recognise your strengths and activate the inner resources you need to face challenges. It's about finding what's already inside you to help you move forward.

Thanks for reading. Share your thoughts or questions in the comments—what resonated with you, what didn't? Your input helps us grow together.

Considering trying out Expressive Arts? Reach out to me for one-on-one or group sessions.

1. Knill, P. J., Levine, E. G., & Levine, S. K. (2005). Principles and practice of expressive arts therapy: Toward a therapeutic aesthetics. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

2. Levine, S. (2009). Philosophy of expressive arts therapy: Poiesis and the therapeutic imagination. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.