The work hurts | Intellect Skip to content
1981
Volume 13, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 2040-2457
  • E-ISSN: 2040-2465

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the emotional impact on arts practitioners of working in health, social care and participatory settings and how supervision, or lack of, affects artists’ well-being. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was chosen to explore the lived experiences of artists working in this field. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five artists working across the arts and health spectrum, in a range of settings including children’s hospitals, hospices, prisons, older adults and rehabilitation wards. These interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using IPA. Four super-ordinate themes emerged from the analysis: this work as a calling; the psychological impact of the work; managing the impact through supervision and support; sustaining the professional and the personal self.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/jaah_00096_1
2022-07-01
2024-04-19
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Baumann, Matt,, Peck, Simon,, Collins, Carrie,, Johnson, Jeannine,, Riches, Colin, and Eades, Guy. ( 2014;), ‘ Collaborative local governance for arts in health: Learning from an arts programme for hospital-based stroke patients. ’, Journal of Applied Arts & Health, 5:1, pp. 11733.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Bibby, Jo,, Everest, Grace, and Abbs, Isabel. ( 2020;), ‘ Will COVID-19 be a watershed moment for health inequalities?. ’, The Health Foundation, 7 May, https://www.health.org.uk/publications/long-reads/will-covid-19-be-a-watershed-moment-for-health-inequalities. Accessed 27 November 2021.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Carroll, Michael. ( 2014), Effective Supervision for the Helping Professions, London:: Sage;.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Carroll, Michael, and Shaw, Elizabeth. ( 2013), Ethical Maturity in the Helping Professions: Making Difficult Life and Work Decisions, London:: Jessica Kingsley;.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHWB) ( 2020;), ‘ How creativity and culture has been supporting people who are shielding or vulnerable during COVID-19. ’, 1 July, https://www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk/how-creativity-and-culture-are-supporting-shielding-and-vulnerable-people-home-during-covid-19/. Accessed 5 August 2020.
  6. Cox, Tamsin. ( 2014), ArtWorks Evaluation: Survey of Artists, Birmingham:: Paul Hamlyn Foundation;.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Cutler, David. ( 2019), Creatively Minded, London:: The Baring Foundation;.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Daykin, Norma,, Gray, Karen,, McCree, Mel, and Willis, Jane. ( 2017;), ‘ Creative and credible evaluation for arts, health and well-being: Opportunities and challenges of co-production. ’, Arts and Health, 9:2, pp. 12338.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Fancourt, Daisy, and Finn, Saoirse. ( 2019), What Is the Evidence on the Role of the Arts in Improving Health and Well-Being?, Copenhagen:: WHO Regional Office for Europe;.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Fenichel, Emily. ( 1992), Learning through Supervision and Mentorship to Support the Development of Infants, Toddlers and Their Families: A Source Book, Arlington, VA:: National Center for Clinical Infant Programs;.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Fenner, Patricia. ( 2012;), ‘ What do we see? Extending understanding of visual experience in the art therapy encounter. ’, Art Therapy, 29:1, pp. 1118.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Harrison, Richard, and Westwood, Marvin. ( 2009;), ‘ Preventing vicarious traumatization of mental health therapists: Identifying protective practices. ’, Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 46:2, pp. 20319.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Hartley, Nigel. ( 2008;), ‘ Managing creative arts and artists in healthcare settings. ’, in N. Hartley, and M. Payne. (eds), The Creative Arts in Palliative Care, London:: Jessica Kingsley;, pp. 2139.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Inskipp, Francesca, and Proctor, Brigid. ( 1993), Making the Most of Supervision. The Art, Craft and Tasks of Counselling Supervision Part 1, Twickenham:: Cascade Publications;.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Jennings, Matt,, Beirne, Martin, and Knight, Stephanie. ( 2017;), ‘ Just about coping: Precarity and resilience among applied theatre and community arts workers in Northern Ireland. ’, Irish Journal of Arts Management and Cultural Policy, 4:1, pp. 1424.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Kadushin, Alfred. ( 1976), Supervision in Social Work, New York:: Columbia University Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Matarasso, Francois. ( 2019), A Restless Art: How Participation Won, and Why It Matters, London:: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation;.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. McLeod, John. ( 2011), Qualitative Research in Counselling and Psychotherapy, London:: Sage;.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Milne, Derek, and Reiser, Robert. ( 2020), Supportive Clinical Supervision, Enhancing Well-Being and Reducing Burnout through Restorative Leadership, Shoreham-by-Sea:: Pavillion;.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Moss, Hilary, and O’Neill, Desmond. ( 2009;), ‘ What training do artists need to work in healthcare settings?. ’, Medical Humanities, 35:2, pp. 10105.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Naismith, Nicola. ( 2019), Artists Practising Well, Aberdeen:: Robert Gordon University;.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Norcross, John, and Vandenbos, Gary. ( 2018), Leaving It at the Office: A Guide to Psychotherapist Self-Care, London:: Guilford Publications;.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Platt, Louise. ( 2020;), ‘ Individual support. ’, Artist Wellbeing , https://www.artistwellbeing.co.uk/indiviudal-support. Accessed 22 February 2022.
  24. Preston, Sheila. ( 2013;), ‘ Managed hearts? Emotional labour and the applied theatre facilitator in urban settings. ’, Research in Drama Education: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance, 18:3, pp. 23045.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Robson, Mary. ( 2002), Professional and Personal Development for Arts in Health Practitioners, Durham:: Centre for Arts and Humanities in Health and Medicine;.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Ruttle, Sarah. ( 2014), Confidentiality, Consent and Decision Making in Arts and Health Participatory Art Practice, Cork:: Arts Council of Ireland;.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Scaife, Joyce. ( 2019), Supervision in Clinical Practice, , 3rd ed.., Abingdon:: Routledge;.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Shorter, Gillian,, McCann, Siobhan, and McIlherron, Lisa. ( 2018), Changing Arts and Minds: A Survey of Health and Wellbeing in the Creative Sector, Coleraine:: Ulster University;, https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/11663648/changing-arts-and-minds-creative-industries-report.pdf. Accessed 10 June 2020.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Sidhu, Manjinder. ( 2015;), ‘ The artist’s experience: Art sessions with inpatients and staff at The Maudsley Hospital. ’, Journal of Applied Arts & Health, 6:3, pp. 27989.
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Skovholt, Thomas, and Trotter-Mathison, Michelle. ( 2016), The Resilient Practitioner: Burnout and Compassion Fatigue Prevention and Self-care Strategies for the Helping Professions, New York:: Routledge;.
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Smith, Jonathan. ( 1996;), ‘ Beyond the divide between cognition and discourse: Using interpretative phenomenological analysis in health psychology. ’, Psychology and Health, 11:2, pp. 26171.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Smith, Jonathan. ( 2004;), ‘ Reflecting on the development of interpretative phenomenological analysis and its contribution to qualitative research in psychology. ’, Qualitative Research in Psychology, 1:1, pp. 3954.
    [Google Scholar]
  33. Smith, Jonathan,, Flowers, Paul, and Larkin, Michael. ( 2009), Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method and Research, London:: Sage;.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Thompson, Tosin. ( 2020;), ‘ The real “crown jewels” of the arts? An unprotected freelance workforce. ’, The Guardian, 22 July, https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2020/jul/22/the-real-crown-jewels-of-the-arts-an-unprotected-freelance-workforce. Accessed 23 July 2020.
    [Google Scholar]
  35. White, Mike. ( 2009), Arts Development in Community Health: A Social Tonic, London:: CRC Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. White, Mike, and Angus, John. ( 2003), Arts and Adult Mental Health Literature Review, Durham:: Centre for Arts and Humanities in Health and Medicine;.
    [Google Scholar]
  37. White, Vicky. ( 2015;), ‘ Reclaiming reflective supervision. ’, Practice, 27:4, pp. 25164.
    [Google Scholar]
  38. O’Connor, Alison. ( 2022;), ‘ The work hurts. ’, Journal of Applied Arts & Health, 13:2, pp. 15366, https://doi.org/10.1386/jaah_00096_1
    [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.1386/jaah_00096_1
Loading
/content/journals/10.1386/jaah_00096_1
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error