CREATIVE EXPRESSION AS THERAPY

DAWN FREDERIC,

ODERATOR.

BY "AY OF DEFINITION IT WAS OFFERED THAT "CREATIVE EXPRESSION" IS SELF EXPRESSION REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS AN ART FORM。 "'T ERAFY" WAY BE LITHER TREATMENT OR PREVENTIVE. THIS FORM OF THERAPY IS USED BECAUSE THERE 13 OFTEN AN INABILITY TO EXPRESS ANYTHING IN SO E ENTAL ILLNESS AND ALL MENTAL ILLNESS INVOLVES ISOLATION AD INABILITY TO EXPRESS AND IDENTIFY. CONTACT WITH ENVIRON.ENT COMES WITH ABILITY TO EXPRESS SELF. CREATIVE EXPRESSION CAN ALSO BE USED IN DIAGNOSIS.

THE CROUP TOSSED AROUND DEFINITIONS FOR A TIRE, BOGGING DOWN SOLETHAT IN AN ATTE:PT TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN ART, ACTUAL CREATIVE TALENT, HOBIES, ETC. IT AS AGREED THAT CREATIVE EXPRESSION DOES NOT BECOME THERAPEUTIC UNTIL IT IS SHARED WITH OTHERS,

SEX REPRESSION AND MENTAL HEALTH RON ARGALL, CDERATOR.

THE QUESTION WAS POSED, "DOES THE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRM FOSTER SEX REPRESSION OR DOES IT HELP TO OVERCOME SUCH SITUATIONS?" THE GROUP FELT THAT MOST LIKELY OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM IS REPRESSIVE, BUT THAT THIS IS BECAUSE IT IS A GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAM BASED ON TAX DOLLARS AND POLITICAL WHIM AND WOULD MOST CERTAINLY BE OF CONFORMIST NATURE IN THESE EARLY FORMATIVE YEARS.

VERY LIKELY MANY OR MOST SEX CRIMES ARE IN SOME WAY A RESULT OF SEX REPRESSION AND CENSORSHIP AND REPRESSIVE LEGISLATION CANNOT IMPROVE THE STATUS QUO. IT WAS OFFERED BY ONE MEMBER OF THE GROUP THAT ONE MAY BE MENTALLY HEALTHY EVEN THOUGH SEXUALLY REPRESSED. AN INSTINCTIVE TENDENCY CANNOT BE DESTROYED, BUT IT CAN BE EXPRESSED IN MANY WAYS AND DOES NOT HAVE TO BE REPRESSED IN A GIVEN WAY. THERE ARE ACCEPTABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE METHODS OF EXPRESSION AND IN THE CASES OF SATISFACTORY SUBLIMATION, THE INDIVIDUAL NEED NOT SUFFER DETERIORATED MENTAL HEALTH. MENTAL HOSPITALS AND CLINICS DO NOT GIVE MUCH THOUGHT TO THESE PHILOSOPHICAL CONCEPTS FOR THEY ARE IN TOUCH PRIMARILY WITH PEOPLE WHOSE REPRESSIONS AND ANXIETIES HAVE GOT THE BETTER OF THEM. UNDOUBTEDLY MANY REASONABLY OR HIGHLY INTEGRATED AND HEALTHY PERSONS ARE SEXUALLY REPRESSED BUT HAVE OTHER MEANS OF EXPRESSION.

(THE ABOVE TWO SESSIONS REPORTED ON BY HELEN SANDERS)

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