Social Justice & Art Therapy Library

Welcome to our Social Justice Art Therapy library for art therapists and the mental health community.

Here, you will find resources related to art therapy and social justice, anti-oppressive mental health approaches. By providing these resources, we are able to address whitewashed wellness and its oppressive design to be better able to serve marginalized communities in mental health.

Articles and videos included here are both art therapy-specific and can be applicable to other mental health approaches.

We hope that this digital library helps you with your continued growth for healing.

These sources do not belong to the Colorado Art Therapy Association. These are resources that have been found from outside sources.

Art Therapy Books and Articles for Social Justice and Decolonization

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  • Laura Adai

    Articles by Black Art Therapists

    Voices Journal. Voices is “an Open Access peer reviewed journal that invites interdisciplinary dialogue and discussion about music, health, and social change. The journal nurtures a critical edge that refines the focus on inclusiveness, socio-cultural awareness, and social justice.”

    Click Here

  • Concrete Ways to Decolonize Research

    Article by: Hugo Asselin and Suzy Basile

    PDF Here

  • Art Therapy and Experiences of Acculturation and Immigration

    Article by: Debra Linesch, Angelica Ojeda, Maria Elena Fuster, Stephanie Moreno, and Guadalupe Solis

    PDF here

  • Decolonization is Not a Metaphor

    Article by: Eve Tuck and K. Wayne Yang

    PDF Here

  • Foundations for Liberation: Social Justice, Liberation Psychology, and Counseling

    Article by: Kevin A . Tate, Edil Torres Rivera, Eric Brown, and Leslie Skaistis

    PDF Here

Article Resources

The Arts in Psychotherapy 39 (2012). Journey women: art therapy in a decolonizing framework of practice by Lucy Lu, M.A. and Felice Yuen, Ph.D. Link Here (scroll down for full article)

Art History Vol 43, Issue 1. (2020). Decolonizing Art History by Catherine Grant and Dorothy Price. Link Here

Canadian Art Therapy Association Journal. Creative Agency and Political Responses Through Arts Therapy. Volume 31, Issue 1 (2018). Reconciliation: A Contemplation of the Role of Art Therapy by Jennifer Vivian. Link Here

Journal of the American Art Therapy Association. Volume 36, Issue 4 (2019). Ethical Contemporary Art Therapy: Honoring an American Indian Perspective by Michelle Napoli. Link Here

Latino Cultural Implications for Art Therapy: The Influence of Cultural Risk Factors and Academic Performance in High School by Piera Lynn Carfagno. Link Here

Prezi Presentation Decolonizing Art Therapy: Creating an Indigenous Circle of Art Therapists by Jen Vivian (2018) Link Here

Arts in health revisited: A sketch of art practices in ancient and contemporary Chinese healthcare from an intercultural perspective by Cornelia Bogen (2016) Link Here

Cultural factors influencing the mental health of Asian Americans by Elizabeth J. Kramer, Kenny Kwong, Evelyn Lee, and Henry Chung (2002) Link Here

Cultural Context and the Practice of Art Therapy in Asia by Elizabeth Coss and John Wong (2015) Link Here

"Directive Approach" for Chinese Clients Receiving Psychotherapy: Is That Really A Priority? by Chi Ting Connie Ng and Susan James (2013) Link Here

Deconstructing and Recontextualizing Art Therapy Practice in the Chinese Cultural Context by Kai-Ying Huang (2019)

- A Grad Student's Dissertation Link Here

Recommendations for the treatment of Asian American/Pacific Islander Populations by Gayle Y Iwamasa Link Here

Therapist Multicultural Competence, Asian American Participants' Cultural Values, and Counseling Process by Shihwe Wang and Bryan S. K. Kim (2011) Link Here


Some of these articles you will need to purchase for access.

Journal of the American Art Therapy Association Articles

Chantel Laran Lumpkin PhD, CFLE (2006) Relating Cultural Identity and Identity as Art Therapist, Art Therapy, 23:1, 34-38, DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2006.10129529 Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/07421656.2006.10129529 

Charlotte G. Boston MA, ATR-BC (2005) Life Story of an Art Therapist of Color, Art Therapy, 22:4, 189-192, DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2005.10129519 Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/07421656.2005.10129519 

Cheryl Doby-Copeland MPS, ATR-BC, LPC (2006) Things Come to Me: Reflections From an Art Therapist of Color, Art Therapy, 23:2, 81-85,DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2006.10129646 Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/07421656.2006.10129646 

Cliff Joseph ATR (2006) Creative Alliance: The Healing Power of Art Therapy, Art Therapy, 23:1, 30-33, DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2006.10129531 Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/07421656.2006.10129531 

Phoebe Farris PhD, ATR (2006) Mentors of Diversity: A Tribute, Art Therapy, 23:2, 86-88, DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2006.10129645  Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/07421656.2006.10129645 

Sangeeta Levy, PhD, ATR (2006) Your Daddy is the Boogeyman, Art Therapy, 23:3, 136-138, DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2006.10129622 Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/07421656.2006.10129622 

[You may need to log into your AATA member account to access these articles.]