Joining up people, ideas and actions

Dyadic art therapy has an emphasis on joining-up or bringing together people and ideas.

The therapist offers the dyad the opportunity to make art together and also to reflect and talk together.

Joint art therapy sessions provide opportunities for perspective sharing and developing a sense of the other person’s mind.

The invitation to think together may also be extended to the wider network around the child. People in the wider network may be invited to network meetings or review meetings. This is so they can think together with the therapist about the needs of the child and to help plan the work.

Achieving the goal

Details about the steps therapists take to achieve this goal, can be found in the next stage of the manual, Steps.

Steps specific for this goal include

• facilitating joint engagement

• helping carers to see for themselves

• facilitating reflective discussions