A great help for people of India just to know how we can keep our senior citizens lively and jovial by virtue of Art Therapy and Positive sweet memories
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Case Studies
By
Aristha Bala
From
At North Kolkata: 5, Bidhan Saran;
Flat No. 3/D; Kolkata: 700006, Near
Vidyasagar College and opposite
Thanthania Kali Temple; 9051815449;
09433516243
At South Kolkata: (1)74, R.K.Ghoshal
Road, Kolkata: 700042,Near
Chittaranjan Boys’s School;
(2)513B, Block-M, New Alipore, Kolkata:
53,
www.calcuttayelloepages.com/adver/110
802
Mobile: 9051815449; 09433516243; Mail:
rupa.talukdar@yahoo.com. www.mind-
eye.in
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In my words:
It’s a unique sensation to become an Art Therapist after securing Post Graduate Diploma in
Psychological Counselling and Behaviour Management-Art Therapy can defined as an
alternative perspective in Psychotherapy.
In the entire process art is an essential medium to help people to come out from emotional
trauma: here no expertise is in demand; but an interest is essential to be there in counselee
which in most cases have been found.
I mentioned only four case studies; finding them to enjoy therapeutic phase of art I was
delighted as I also want to explore art as an alternative perspective in psychotherapy; Mind’s
eye helps me to explore CBT with the combination of art therapy.
We begin the process with a positive approach of life: sweet memories of past, feelings
associated with the positive words as only an oriented mind can concentrate , so we took the
help of pattern drawing: as the pattern grows finned if the counselee gets ready to pay heed
with wholeheartedly to the words of psychotherapist.
Here I mention only 4-type of case: they are different in psychological points of view; I like to
mention in brief the genesis of each case study.
Niloy is a special child at birth; he has heart problem, a plus II passed out from an Open
Education Board he has an intention to explore himself professionally: he has limited brain
capacity. I want to explore his interest and find him as a foodie and fun loving boy. He is in
favour of watching Food Channel and likes English to write. He has been concentrated first
before being involved in his serious work
practices: colourful pattern helps him to be
happy and concentrated. As he likes food
we help him to learn how to serve food on
the dinner table after cooking; specially I
was interested to help him to learn
‘Granishing’ sides of food item. He himself
learnt it as I instructed him: he needs to
repeat the same task for developing skill and
he has no problem to repeat the same task and he develops a skill to do the job finally on his
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own without the help of instructors.( a division of Mind’s Eye ‘s Skill Development Project
for Special Children)
Mrs. Shulka Dutta came to us being irritated and bit depressed –
she has nothing to do excepting homemaking. She prefers doing
something interesting and brain teasing.
Assessing her I find her
to be agreeable with
children, positive soul
and skill in art work
making and good sense
in colour choice: so we
first help her to come
out from her irritation
and other emotional crisis by CBT and Art Therapy: she likes
painting, craft making and paper collage. Within a short period
she develops herself in a good emotional shape. Now we train her to be one of our ART &
CRAFT Trainers. She performs very well day by day. This is one of Mind’s Eye’s Services
named Personal Wellness Approach.
Under Senior Citizen care we took the help of Art Therapy for Mr Ashim Chakraborty (70
years Old) and Ava Rani Chowdhury(80 yrs old). Mr Ashim Charaborty is basically an introvert
people with a competitive mindset and Mrs Ava Rani Chowdhury is an extrovert people but
extreme anxiety prone.
Mr Ashim Chakraborty needs to be assertive with
positive words association and feelings: this helps him
to be jovial and happy, pattern drawing helps him to
stay oriented: he loves to deliver lecture on his own
choice; it keeps him happy as he loves doing so and
can speak well. Mr Ashim Chraborty loves to meet
new people as he becomes bored seeing same person
being at home.
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Mrs Ava has problem to be at home all the time: it brings a depression; because of that she loves
to explore people around and likes to dress well with different cooler and shades. She wants to
express which we offered her.
Above four studies is a continuing process; the
clients are happy to be with us continuously.
Last, not the least I must be thankful to Mind’s
Eye to train me in such a way: in
each case I met the clients, counsel them with a
brush in my hand, before that I have no idea of
the process; I find it most successful to keep a
person evergreen by brush, canvas and
positive memories.
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Case study:
----------------
1. NAME--Niloy Gupta
2. ADDRESS--1/33,M.M GHOSH
ROAD,KOLKATA--7000074
3. PHONE NO—033- 250-4871
4. AGE--33
5. SEX--M
6. RELIGION --HINDU
7. MOTHER TONGUE---BENGALI
8. NO OF FAMILY MEMBERS—4 (he is the elder son)
9. PURPOSE OF VISIT---COUNSELLING
10. CHIEF /PRESENTING COMPLAINS---
i. NILOY has problem in heart from childhood, so his learning adaptability
is slow
ii. He lacks development milestone
iii. He passed class X from general school
iv. He passed XII from Rabindra Mukta Vidhyalaya with 40-45%
v. Talks uselessly and cannot communicate properly, repeated words; likes
to talk more than to listen, has eagerness to learn but cannot memorize
sequentially; bit anger prone
vi. IQ—Borderline (measured)
11. SYMPTOMS
a. Repeated words
b. Easy gripping
c. No attention to read
d. lack writing skill -very slow
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e. No serious vocational skill-not even any self care motivation
12. PURPOSE OF VISIT:
a. To be competent in daily life care
b. Self care and development of vocational skill so that he could do his own work by
himself
c. Development of Skill to stay independently
13. PROCESS OF COUNSELLING:
Our process of counseling is primarily to develop an initiative to do some work for
him and also for living a
healthy lifestyle through some
activity which is utterly safe
and secure
i) Story telling(
Reading,
Writing,
Vocabulary)
ii) Art
Therapy :
helps to lead a life with full of enthusiasm
iii) Skill development for motor movement
iv) Pattern drawing for enhancing concentration
v) Change of English Writing strokes for increasing alternative thought
process
vi) Vocational skill development which is appropriate to his capability
Vocational Skill Development:
Salad item preparation:
Like salad product (cucumber ,tomato, onion, green leafs)
Garnishing
Tea-Table decoration
Work Process:
DAY 1---14 /09/15--Niloy came with his father; he was talking loudly and
repeated almost each word while he was speaking.
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DAY 2---04/10/15-Niloy tries to talk slowly and started food garnishing.
DAY3--29/10/15--NILOY told a story in a haphazard way and tries to write that
he usually did not like to follow after completing his studies
DAY 4--6/11/15--Niloy tried to talk uniformly
DAY 5--19/11/15 --Niloy learned counting
method for increase memory and he learned how to
manage garnishing plate. On this day Niloy was very
happy as he finished his work properly.
Every day Niloy before starting his work for
enhancing his concentration practises some pattern
drawing which he
enjoyed a lot as it is
absolutely a
colourful journey.
Art Therapy helps
to stay in happy
mood as he
previously felt that
he was dominated
by his close relatives, but our process of Art Therapy
keeps him smiling and wholehearted all the day.
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Case Study-2
1. NAME—Mrs Sukla
Datta
2. ADDRESS: 103, Kamalapur east,
Dumdum, Kolkata--700028
3. PHONE: 8017941145
4. E-MAIL:
sukladatta56@gmail.com
5. AGE: 59 yrs+
6. SEX : Female ,
7. Religion: Hindu
8. Mother Tongue Bengali
9. Language known-- English, Hindi
10. No. of Family members: Four
11. Purpose of visit-- To remain active and understand people’s emotion as she
has problem in staying with her husband who is undergoes schizophrenia
medication.
12. CHIEF/PRESENTING COMPLAINS
I. She was not happy with her present lifestyle as there is occasional
communication gap between her and her husband who is controlled
schizophrenic.
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II. She was mentally very sad
being alone in her daily life as
her only son and daughter-in-
law both are in overseas in
recent time.
III. She loves involvement, and
being affectionate and lovable
person staying alone whole
the day is really a punishment
for her
IV. She is madly in search of
attachment which will give her
pleasure of living
13. PURPOSE OF VISIT:
To be competent in daily life
care
Development of skill to stay
independently
14. PROCESS OF COUNSELLING:
Our process of counseling is primarily to develop an initiative to do some work for
her and also for living a healthy lifestyle through some activity.
a. Pattern drawing for enhancing concentration
b. Art therapy: to help to lead a life with full passion
c. Change of English writing strokes( Graphoterapy) for increasing
i. Agreeableness
ii. Alternative way of
approach and
iii. Staying positive with
a motivation
d. Moreover, our aim is to train
her to train others similarly
who has been suffering from
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same loneliness because of empty nest syndrome: A Self Help Group
15.Vocational skill development:
Art Therapy including Craft Making, Collage Art and Utility as well as
Fancy goods which
can beautify the
environment by their
shapes/colour and
innovation.
Training for helping
others how to
overcome the
emotional crisis
because of old age and
empty nest feelings: It
is a Creative Training
on how to stay positive in the present environment.
16.Work process:
i. DAY-1--27 10 2015—Mrs Sukla came with her son. Her son said that their
home atmosphere is not suitable for his mother because most of time her
mother remains mentally disturb for his father behaviour. For this reason
Mrs. Sukla"s son wanted to involve her in any activity whichever she likes for
her happiness.
ii. DAY-2--3RD November--We start our process by art therapy after assessing
her by Picture Analysis and Draw a Human Figure. From the assessment we
came to know that she
iii. DAY-3--10th November--Mrs Sukla enjoying collage art, along with this we
help her to stay positive and hopeful by practising some lessons that we have
given her to work out on it.
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iv. DAY-4--17TH NOVEMBER--She is very much interested in craft making,
and collage art. She is felling very good.
Every day Mrs Sukla is starting her Pattern drawing for enhancing her concentration
which she enjoyed a lot as it is absolutely a colourful journey. Art therapy helps her to
stay in happy mood as she previously felt that she was dominated by her close
relatives, but our process of art therapy keeps her smiling and enthusiastic the day.
Now she started to train similar others at our centre and sometimes at the clients’ home
under the guidance of our team mates : she and other enjoys entire process: Mrs Sukla
now becomes our team mate and does her responsibilities efficiently as she herself gets
a path to lead a life of fulfillment with brushes, colours and optimistic minds.
Case Study: 3
1. NAME; Ashim Chakrabarty
2. ADDRESS: 173, Ashokgarh, KOLKATA 108
3. PHONE: 033 2577-53/ 9711026096
4. Age-71
5. sex –M
6. Religion--Hindu
7. Mother Tongue--
Bengali
8. Purpose of visit--
Counselling
9. Chief /presenting
complains( informant):
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I. He is basically an
introvert person.
II. He likes to live
within himself.
III. Every time he
said that he felt
weak and he
could not enjoy
time as others.
IV. Sometimes he
came out from his home
without saying anything
inmates
V. He has death fear
VI. Not at all positive soul: he encourages us to us to find out the cause of
his inability to laugh
10. SYMPTOMS (spotted by counselors) on the first day of visiting him
I. Repeated words/story/discomfort
II. Missing past which he cannot overcome or felt defeated
III. Easy gripping
IV. Develops slow interest: at once fearful in adapting
V. Writing skill very slow
VI. No serious vocational skill not even any self care motivation
VII. Prefers watching instead of active participation
11. PURPOSE OF VISIT:
A. To be competent in daily life/self care
B. Development of vocational skill in the present context so that he can enjoy
his life
C. Development of skill to live a positive life approach: his redundant
thought should have assertive bent
D. To motivate him to stay with a bright colour sensation
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12. PROCESS OF COUNSELLING:
Our process of counselling is primarily to develop an initiative to do some work for him
and also for living a healthy lifestyle through some activity as per his comfort level and
adaptability.
i. Conversation using positive words
and sentences: helping him to
pronounce with a feeling as the
words offered
ii. Sentence completion with a happy
ending
iii. Change of strokes of writing
:connection related ( a psychological
tool helps a person to lead a positive
living)
iv. Use of positive/Vibrant colour
v. Helps him to visualize what we are
going to discuss
vi. Enhance the skill of creativity using
line drawing and brushes of
different colour
vii. Helping to strengthen grip and
using appropriate prop according to
his interest
13. VOCATIONAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND OUR
OBSERVATION:
a. Still positive: as he enjoys the activities and took participation
b. Loves to respond: he is responding; but one thing has been noticed that
during the process he becomes competitive and tries to respond always
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better than the previous day approach; has restriction to accept
defeat/incompetence; may be this is the reasons of his withdrawal
behaviour. On the next visit he has tendency to repeat the same activity in
a better way and for this he tries to prepare himself being engaged.
i. This may develop a trend to live better than before
ii. He may stay with an occupation of positive words
iii. In addition to this there is also a chance to generate an anxiety of
performance: which as counselors we do not want to give him at
this age: our motto is to help him to enjoy the rest of days happily
with a jovial mood.
c. In his personality some sorts of negativity is there: in basic nature he is
depressive; but being an agreeable person he cannot cut himself off from
the effect of others whom he dislikes mostly.
d. His memory is excellent: he can memorize vividly his past life; it seems
that he wants to get a second chance to be successful from his previous
failure
e. Accept brain teasing happily and can respond flawlessly
f. He enjoys our colourful activities: prefers to describe to make it a form on
the paper by sketches and drawing: obviously everything is related to
sweet memories of past.
g. On the whole he is enjoying the hours with us.
14. APPLICATION OF OTHER THEARPY
a. Feeling Word game
b. Colour your present life: from story telling session
c. Art Therapy
d. Sentence making with a positive end
e. Origami
f. Etc.
Remarks:
We visited him several time and will visit again as per our arrangement; in every visit he shows
positive approach; accepting us he has no problem, but following the instruction is troublesome
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in absence of us: sometimes we prefer meeting him twice a week just to encourage him. Slow
to accept and bit rigid in changing his usual lifestyle: so it will take time.
Until and unless he himself feels that life is for enjoyment without hurting and discomforting
others; enjoyment is accepted if its approach is not interfering others’ existence in the same
planet.
A slow but steady change has been observed in his behavior: this is
obviously an encouraging inspection.
Case Study: 4
1. 1.NAME: Ava Rani
Chowdhury
2. ADDRESS: 2, Sabujayan Abason;
Ramchandrapur; Kolkata
3. PHONE: 033 2438930/ 9874849027
4. Age-80
5. sex –F
6. Religion--Hindu
7. Mother Tongue—Hindi/Bengali as she was brought up in Bihar
8. Purpose of visit—Geriatric care, emotional only
9. Position of her among the siblings: Eldest of siblings
10. Chief /presenting complains( informant)/information of client lifestyle:
11. Depression
i. She is retired from central govt. job.
Her husband is 86 years old and in very fragile condition.
She has returned from hospital and is now at home. She was treated for
the following:
Diabetic phycopathy treatment.
Doctors said that health wise she is ok and is suffering from acute
depression and identity crisis and recommended that if she stays at
home among the family members she will be improving.
12. Demand from
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her family: In a nut shell – her family members need a Councellor who can visit her
at home and just chat with her and make her feel good about life . They
need that type of a person who can take ownership of getting the lady
back into the main stream if possible.
She had been working women all her life.
13. How is she (spotted by counselors) - on the first day of visiting her
VIII. Loves socialization
IX. With a smiling face talked with us
X. Anxiety of performance: fearful to involve in job( activities ) which is offered
her because of her doubt not to perform as per level
XI. Active type: denial of accepting passive moment to pass on
XII. Guilt feeling is there in her mind for the discomfort she has been given other
family members
XIII. Likes colour, storytelling session,
cooking: even she enjoys to talk
about it also
XIV. Can sing well
XV. On the whole being extrovert she
likes to be pampered by others in a
creative way
14. PURPOSE OF VISIT:
E. To keep her free of guilt feelings : life
skill training
F. To establish a concept of developing an art form without being perfect
G. To stay with a positive thought/feeling only by imagination
H. Storytelling session of past eventful but happy memories
I. Skill training being passively active to enjoy the present days with the help of
others around
J. Enhance her imagination only by strokes on the paper
K. Develop a THIDR EYE concept in her with the help of her husband
L. Many more as per demand
15. PROCESS OF COUNSELLING:
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Our process of counselling is primarily to develop an initiative to keep her involved
creatively without a great deal of physical movement and also for living a healthy
lifestyle through some activity as per his comfort level and adaptability.
viii. Conversation using positive words and sentences: helping her to
pronounce with a feeling as the words offered
ix. Sentence completion with a happy ending: storytelling
x. Change of strokes of writing :connection related ( a psychological tool
to help a person to lead a positive living)
xi. Use of positive/Vibrant colour
xii. Help her to visualize what we are going to discuss
xiii. Enhance the skill of
creativity using line
drawing and brushes
of different colours
xiv. Change of lines to
visualize the drawn
substances from
different corner in
different ways.
APPLICATION OF OTHER THEARPIES
g. Feeling Word game
h. Colour your present life: from storytelling session
i. Art Therapy
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j. Sentence making with a
positive end
k. Origami
l. Etc.
Remarks:
She likes to cherish her past sweet memories
with the counselor; the main topic of her is
food related and she loves to welcome guest
with a food plate, food preparation.
She likes gardening and she has a small lawn in front of her residence. She likes to plant rose
plantation in her small garden: we have also seen roses of different colour: red, yellow, pink
and yellow rose plants: she loves talking about her garden, likes to walk and sit just to enjoy the
garden of different colour roses.
Now all the time it’s not possible for her to be there as she develops some sorts of restriction in
movement: we help her to draw roses, flowers and other colourful objects using canvas and
drawing book.
The process needs to continue for several days to bring a positive result.
Each and every person described enjoy the process of ART THERAPY and we are also hopeful.