Art Therapy and Play Therapy for Families Who Have Experienced Trauma: Assessment of Training Needs of Master's Students in Accredited Marriage and Family Therapy Programs

This dissertation was a needs assessment study looking at the training needs of master's level Marriage and Family Therapy students in art and play therapy. The study focused on the utilization of art and play therapy with clients who have experienced trauma. Participants included master's level Marriage and Family Therapy students who were enrolled in accredited programs in Southern California. Six qualitative focus group interviews were conducted which assessed what students were currently learning in their curriculum in the realm of art and play therapy and their needs regarding art and play therapy in their MFT curriculum. Participants' training seemed to be focused on the use of traditional systemic models to work with trauma-related issues, with no focus on the use of art and play therapy techniques in working with trauma. However, all participants seemed to have been exposed to art and play therapy in their coursework related to working with parents and children. Participants expressed that art and play therapy helped them increase communication within the family and facilitated clients' expression of thoughts and feelings. Participants identified gaps in their master's curriculum and training. Participants reported lack of training in art rather than play therapy and the use of these techniques with adults. They expressed a need for more content on both play and art therapy in the curriculum and its integration in other theory and trauma courses. Participants did not feel that they were competent enough to use art and play therapy effectively. Based on the participants' feedback, important implications for training were suggested which could possibly strengthen and improve the current curriculum being offered on art and play therapy in accredited MFT programs.