Clay!

As a ceramicist, I enjoy the entire process of using clay. Although I have had experience in using earthenware in my personal life and have dabbled in polymer clay as a child, I have not explored any use of clays in a clinical setting. For this exploration of media, I have decided to explore polymer clay with children with Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders and chose to simply play around with the clay and explore the different shapes I could make with it through coil making, flattening, ripping, slicing, etc. I decided to choose this population to explore the differences between the use of the Clay Field (Elbrecht & Antcliff, 2015) and polymer clay, two very different clays, and how one might benefit certain aspects of trauma that the other cannot.

The characteristics of polymer clay vary from those of traditional clay where water is a contributing factor to the texture and viscosity of the clay. Without the water, polymer clay refrains from taking on regressive qualities that slippy clay might have as mentioned in the article about the Clay Field (Elbrecht & Antcliff, 2015). Although these regressive qualities may be beneficial in utilizing the bottom-up approach (Elbrecht & Antcliff, 2015), using clay that does require rehydration can help the novice therapist and art therapy client navigate an introduction to the benefits of clay in the therapeutic setting.

Using polymer clay as an introduction in comparison to clay that might have more complex characteristics can limit the individual’s sensory and kinesthetic experience, however, with whichever needs are being addressed, adjustments can be made to accommodate the group or person. I think that polymer clay, in comparison with ceramic clays, would be a useful medium for children with Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders because it does not dry from air exposure like ceramic clays. Children with trauma may already be fragile state, and ceramic clay, when it is bone dry, is easy to break and may cause regression if broken. Polymer clay can provide more stability for creative work as a coping mechanism. Symbolically, polymer clay can represent continuous change and gives the individual full autonomy to change the shape of the clay however they want without the restriction of dry time.

Clay, as opposed to 2D medium, also could serve as something for children with Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders that grounds them while verbalizing certain processes. It might only serve as something felt in the hands, but the awareness could help keep them in the present moment while verbalization is encouraged rather than regressing to past traumatic memories. When a child is ready to move on to the creative process, the shape they have unintentionally created could help initiate the creative process from something already there rather than starting something with no structure.

References:

Elbrecht, C., & Antcliff, L. (2015). Being in touch: Healing developmental and attachment trauma at the clay field. Children Australia, 40(3), 209.

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