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1. Could you explain some possible positive effects of working with any medium of art as a form of therapy?

2. Can you explain how the tactile nature of clay contributes to its therapeutic effects?

3. Can you describe how the process of creating with clay promotes mindfulness and relaxation?

4. Can you share any specific examples or anecdotes of clients who have experienced positive outcomes through their engagement with art in therapy?

5. As a therapist, would you recommend art or ceramics to someone who was in need of an emotional outlet?

6. Have you noticed any differences in clients who do art vs. clients who don't?

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Call Austin, teach him how to make a simple pot, and interview him after.

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Call Austin, teach him how to make a simple pot, and interview him after.

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Use as scientific proof of clay's healing properties.

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Experiencing art creation as a therapeutic intervention to relieve anxiety - a case study of a university’s ceramic art course

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University students are anxiety prone. Due to their changing their social roles, the proportion of university students with anxiety is relatively high. In this study, using the simple random sampling, we surveyed 53 university students, including sophomores,…

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Another scientific study of the healing properties of clay

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Description and overview of what pottery is for reader understanding

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Pottery: Pottery, one of the oldest and most widespread of the decorative arts, consisting of objects made of clay and hardened with heat. The objects made are commonly useful ones, such as vessels for holding liquids or plates or bowls from which food can be served.

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Talk about first day in ceramics

Knew nothing

Met teacher, whom I enjoyed a lot

The first thing I made was disgusting

Found that it was therapeutic

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Bring it back into the classroom

Describe projects I've done over the years

Describe how it helps me

Include pictures of my work and brief descriptions

Say how long I've been doing it and how I will continue to do it and recommend it to others

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What a kiln is for reader understanding

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The ceramics process is a long one when it goes through creation, from forming to decoration and then there's the long drying out process, then they go into a kiln to get fired and turn from clay to ceramic... but what is a kiln?

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What wedging is for reader understanding

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Explains pinch pot for reader understanding

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What a slab is for reader understanding

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What a coil is for reading understanding

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Basics of wheel throwing for reader understanding

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Origins of pottery as proof that pottery has been around for thousands of years

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Explains what a "krater" is for those who don't know

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1. Art is a great tool to utilize during therapy sessions, and there are providers who do art therapy specifically. Therapy that incorporates art allows for visual representation of feelings and thoughts, with less emphasis on words and verbal communication. Creating a space for someone to exist, to be verbal or nonverbal, to utilize textures and colors – it is very inclusive and insightful

2. I do not work with clay for sessions, but I do dabble with pottery in my personal life. Clay has an interesting texture - soft yet rough, bendy yet holds shape, wet but not mushy. Of the 5 senses, touch can be the easiest for a person to use to ground themselves. Fingertips have the most nerves for the amount of space they measure.

3. Using the creative side of your brain, through any medium, promotes emotional exploration, coping, relaxation and mindfulness. A person is able to submerse themselves in the act of creating - sculpting, shading, carving, painting and more. The person may laugh, cry, destroy the work or exhale when they are creating or when they are done.

4. Again, I do not do structured art therapy, but I do encourage clients to consider it independently, and I offer suggestions and prompts. I have an art journal that I share with clients to show the work does not need to be perfect or exhibit worthy to serve a purpose. When I was grieving the passing of my grandmother, art was my go to - she was always creative and I felt closer to her, plus I just felt my feelings instead of shutting them down.

5. I do encourage clients to consider it independently, and I offer suggestions and prompts.  ALWAYS! If you don't know what to draw or make, look around you and google things to see what interests you. Think of a person - what reminds you of them? Draw your version of that thing, or those things. Or paint your version, or mold your version.

6. It is difficult to identify if the use of art therapy is impactful due to the emotional and cognitive differences of each person - but, when a creative outlet is used, a person is more likely to be aware of their emotions.

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1. Tell me about what you're going through

2. Did making pottery make you feel calmer?

3. What aspect of making pottery did you find released the most emotional tension?

4. Would you do it again?

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1. Tell me a bit about your journey with clay- how did you get into it?

2. What about clay makes you happy when you're feeling down?

3. Can you describe a particularly impactful or memorable experience you've had with a student while working with clay where the student was uplifted or their mood went from sour to happy because of the clay?

4. What are some common challenges that students initially face when learning ceramics, and how have you seen them overcome these challenges?

5. What strategies do you use to help students overcome feelings of frustration or self-doubt when encountering difficulties in their ceramic work?

6. Can you discuss any instances where students have used ceramics as a means of addressing their personal issues in their artwork (vent art essentially)?

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1. I've always admired pottery and ceramic art, so about 9 years ago, I decided to take a beginner's wheel throwing class through my city's parks and rec program. It was so hard, but I was hooked. Since then, I've also gotten into hand-building, and I've set up a small studio in my house and shed.

2. The process to me is very calming. I get into a creative "flow" when I'm making, and that really quiets my brain. Opening the kiln and seeing the final successful piece also brings me a lot of joy.

3. I remember one beginner student I had who really struggled to make pieces that didn't crack, fell apart, had disappointing glaze results, etc. Despite the setbacks, he kept going. One day toward the end of the semester, he picked up his latest finished piece (it was a success), inspected it, and said, "I can't believe I made that" in such an amazed way. I always smile when I think of that moment.

4. Many students have trouble understanding the properties of clay and how far you can "push it." They struggle with keeping the clay at the right moisture or knowing what causes cracks. Most of these obstacles are overcome by practice/experience and learning things the hard way (for example, clay warping in the fire because the student mishandled it when it was wet.)

5. Continued encouragement; space to struggle and troubleshoot; allowing time to start over (some students are overly reluctant to begin again when things aren't working); reminders to withhold judgment about their work until it is in the final stages.

6. I am always surprised at just how personal all student work is. Sometimes I will not realize the story/emotions behind a piece until the student writes about it, and I see how many layers of meaning their piece has.

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Explains warping for people who don't know

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Great Advice for Preventing Ceramic Warping

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Thomas Anderson explains how to predict and manage ceramic warping prior to firing your work.

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Explains clay memory for people who don't know

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To control warping caused by memory issues, you primarily have to control the rate of drying. In addition, moisture content must remain uniform across the entire piece, whether it be a large bowl or a flat tile. Small, thin-walled bowls and cups are popular, but thin-walled pieces are susceptible to memory issues.

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Include pictures of his pot and my pot