To begin a Museum Arts in Focus (MAF) session or workshop, clients or participants are invited to bring artwork from museums to the studio, either physically or virtually. Participants can use flyers from local museums or photos they took during visits as visual references. Alternatively, they can access visual art on their smartphones or select art from books, catalogs, postcards, or the therapist's digital devices. Visual art includes pictures, art objects, folk art, installations, and more
Therapists can also use audio recordings of musical performances and videos of dance performances to work intermodally from the expressive arts paradigm
Engaging with art stemming from cultural and public environments, such as museums, galleries, and cultural institutions, helps clients and participants to distance themselves from clinical or vulnerable themes. They learn that they are more than just their symptoms or problems. Even if they cannot participate in local Art on Prescription programs, which are becoming more prevalent around the world, experiencing museum art in a studio setting can help them feel like they belong.
Another benefit of using the Museum Arts in Focusing (MAIF) programs is exploring one's tendency to conform to socioculturally formed mindsets and learning how to break free through art. This can be important for marginalized populations
A MAIF session connects clients and participants with different types of museum art, as well as with their sensory and emotional experiences of the artwork. Participants alternate between receptive activities, such as observing the artwork through Slow-Looking, and expressive activities, such as drawing or movement. This combination fosters a deeper, more personal connection to the art and oneself
The MAIF process creates a transformative and meaningful experience by bridging the gap between professional artists' work and clients and participants' situational Felt Sense of the 'More,' which exists beyond concepts and ideas. Consequently, working with museum art in a studio setting becomes a healing experience, allowing clients and participants to explore and restore their inner landscapes in a safe, contained environment
The MAIF approach is trauma-sensitive because it allows clients and participants to explore their inner landscapes without verbalizing their traumatic experiences. Furthermore, they are not required to undergo classical Focusing processing, which can evoke overwhelming imagery for some. They are also not required to express themselves artistically firsthand. Moreover, artwork from professional museums serves as a holding container. This artwork implicitly represents their inner themes. Once clients and participants are ready, they can transition from implicit to explicit meaning-making by creating their own artwork based on their Art Sense (aesthetic-oriented) or Felt Sense (body-oriented)
After establishing a therapeutic or facilitation relationship through studio sessions, the therapist and client or participant can visit a local museum together. This visit serves as a transitional space where clients and participants can practice moving from studio work to promoting their well-being in museum environments
