Ecological/Nature-Assisted Arts Therapies and the Paradigm Change

Abstract

This article examines the key presumptions and theoretical foundation of nature-assisted ecological creative arts therapies, a branch of contemporary ecotherapy. It is considered from the perspective of the eco-human multidisciplinary approach that defines the human being in relation to the living environment, and seeks to reveal one’s own subjectivity and to shape the world in order to fulfill one’s needs and to take care of the well-being of the environment. The multifaceted role of the arts in providing meaningful human connection to nature are explained. This helps to understand nature-assisted creative arts therapies as providing both public and environmental health and establishing more harmonious relations of humans with nature.

Keywords

• nature-assisted/ecological arts therapies
• the eco-human approach
• ecopsychology
• ecotherapy
• ecopoiesis
• poiesis