A Reunion of East and West: Reflections on the Roots of Creative Arts Therapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine

Article Information

Creative Arts Educ Ther (2016) 2(1):29–39DOI: 10.15534/CAET/2016/1/25

A Reunion of East and West: Reflections on the Roots of Creative Arts Therapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine

东西方再相聚：创造性艺术治疗和中国传统医学的根源反思

Krystal Demaine

Endicott College, USA

Abstract

This article shares a reflection from a workshop conducted by four Creative Arts Therapy colleagues who live both across American and Beijing, China. The workshop explored a relationship between western practices of creative arts therapy (CAT) and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Participants of the workshop included undergraduate students and members from a private liberal arts college. The arts based components of the workshop included musical sounds, movement, color, and painting. The deeply ancient and richly artistic Chinese culture maintains its roots in wellness and healing through the practice of TCM. Through the workshop presentation the relationship between TCM and CAT were discussed within the context of current western literature. The role of collaborative and experiential learning as a method of pedagogy within this workshop highlighted the interdisciplinary nature and hands on learning that is most salient to the study of CAT as well as TCM. The challenges and positives that can emerge within collaborative pedagogy are considered and discussed.

摘要

本文反映了一个由四位创造性艺术治疗同事组织的工作坊。他们均生活在美国和中国北 京。工作坊探索了西方创造性艺术治疗实践（CAT）和中国传统医学（TCM）的关系。 工作坊的参与者包括来自一所私立大学文科专业的学生和成员。

工作坊中艺术为基础的因素包括音乐、动作、颜色和绘画。深厚和丰富的中国古代艺术 文化通过中国传统医学保持了其丰富性和疗愈性。通过工作坊的展示，中国传统医学 （TCM）和西方创造性艺术治疗实践（CAT）的关系在当今西方文学的背景下得以讨 论。合作性和体验性学习作为该工作坊的教育方法，强调创造性艺术治疗和中国传统医 学中最突出的跨学科属性和实用性学习。本文还考虑并讨论了合作性教育中能够出现的 挑战和正面效应。