Abstract

The following qualitative research paper is about the transformation of my personal mythology while completing my master's degree in Art Therapy. This was accomplished through a five stage exercise series elaborated by Feinstein (Feinstein & Krippner, 1988). The method of inquiry is heuristic (Moustakas, 1990) and the data was collected between the timeline of winter 2007 to winter 2008. This study is a result of a concern regarding the proportion of the personal component in the education of Art Therapists. The primary objective is to evaluate the shifts in my personal and professional identities, as reflected in my personal mythology. Heuristic inquiry is used because of the inherently personal nature of the experience of becoming an Art Therapist, and also because of its correspondence with the five stage model. The data includes journal entries, art, and descriptions of rituals and dreams. From one symbol to another, a deep transformation is revealed. The result is a concretely different symbol expression, actualized and transformed, identifying the self, and a renewed way of visualizing life's challenges.