Methods
For this thesis project, the author started by conducting an informal and non-scholarly search regarding the topic of interest. After obtaining general knowledge about what was available and being discussed on the topics a scholarly search was conducted. To search for scholarly and peer-reviewed articles the author made use of Lesley’s Library (@LL) and Google Scholar search engines. The literature review is comprised of searches that included the following keywords: art therapy, art, art in counseling, art in nature, art in natural spaces, ecotherapy, ecopsychology, eco-art therapy, nature-based therapy, well-being, child motor development, preschooler, outdoors, outdoor play, play therapy, and occupational therapy. The use of synonyms, different combinations of the terms, and boolean operators were employed to find articles related to the topic of the research. In addition, a search for books that could provide information on art therapy, ecotherapy, ecopsychology, child development, or a combination of the topics was made. As inquiries arose in the process more targeted searches were made to find pertinent information regarding arising questions. This process was used throughout the whole process of developing the thesis. To keep track of important information an electronic notebook was created. In this notebook information such as search terms, diagrams with topic information, and notes on the topics were recorded.
This thesis is grounded on the framework of ecopsychology. In ecopsychology, the interventions and techniques used emphasize the reciprocal relationship between humans and nature (Delaney, 2020). In the practice of eco-art therapy, ecopsychology theory is applied to the practice of art therapy (Pike, 2021). This translates to a practice of art therapy that puts art in the service of all life forms (Atkins, 2017). This also aligns with Rubin’s (2009) belief that the inspiration and bases for art therapy come from nature.
Literature Review
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Methods
- Child Development
- Development, Screens, and Nature
- Ecotherapy
- Art Therapy
- Art and Ecotherapy
- Art-Eco Therapy and Child Motor Skills
- Discussion
- References