Media Process: Mini El Duende
Population: Adolescents
Disorder: Neurodevelopmental disorders - ADHD
I found it challenging to engage with the mini El Duende process. I have, like several others in the program, engaged in the creation of an El Duende previously, and condensing the process into a shortly spanned time frame seemed counter intuitive. What I appreciated most about my previous engagement with the El Duende process was the chance to breathe in-between, and the opportunity to revisit and meet again. However, in attempting to reframe, I tried to highlight the experience of going in without intention. I decided to start with watercolors, to help facilitate something unstructured and fluid. From there I identified components of my piece that I wanted to preserve, and layered over with black paint. I appreciated the duality of both being able to cover up and preserve. I noticed that my material choices became increasingly structured as I went in with each new layer. I added collage, and also some embroidery. I found myself going from affective to symbolic as I found increased form and meaning with each new step. While not referencing the ‘mini’ version of an El Duende process painting, I found myself relating to some of the experiences had by the participants in Robb and Miller’s (2017) article. Specifically, I noticed that when I identified the emergence of an image in the piece I began to feel more connected to the work. This also aligns with my experience of moving from an affective state of interacting to a symbolic one.
I am interested in trying the mini El Duende process with adolescents with neurodevelopment disorders, such as ADHD. The process is step-oriented, which could assist with maintaining focus and attention to the process. The consistent layering and reworking of one piece allows for increased engagement, while also encouraging the expression of new ideas and exploration. It also seems like it could offer a catalyst for conversations surrounding cause and effect and incorporating materials that enhance structure can serve to model further structure and planning. I could see this existing as a one-session intervention, but also as something that could be pursued in later sessions, perhaps with increasing the amount of time working at once.
Robb, M., & Miller, A. (2017). Supervisee art-based disclosure in el-duende process painting. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 34(4), 192-200. https://doi.org/10.1080/07421656.2017.1398576