Abstract

This arts-based heuristic self-inquiry explores how Internal Family Systems (IFS) guided response art can support countertransference (CT) awareness and professional development in an art therapy intern. Drawing on the shared foundations of IFS and art therapy (including creativity, externalization, and a non-pathologizing stance) this study uses a parts-mapping exercise to guide post-session art making as a reflective tool. Over the course of clinical training, the researcher-participant created response artworks informed by the IFS framework, followed by journal reflections. The data was analyzed through Moustakas’s six phases of heuristic inquiry, with particular focus on the illumination and explication of internal processes. Findings suggest that IFS-guided response art offers a valuable method for deepening self-awareness, enhancing CT management, and fostering professional growth in novice art therapists. This study contributes to the emerging literature on integrative models in art therapy and highlights the importance of creative methods in early therapist development.