Ethno-cultural symbol “Shanyrak” as a method of art-therapeutic work

Abstract

In the period of active development of practical psychology in Kazakhstan and the client-centred approach, we face the challenge of updating psychotherapeutic tools. Art therapy represents one of the most widespread and profound approaches in psychology. It serves as a reference point that helps effective and easy interaction with clients and their problems. In this regard, the newly developed art-therapeutic method “Shanyrak” works effectively, as the results of approbation confirm, and meets the modern challenge.

The use of ethno-social constructs in psychology today is a necessity, which is due to the phenomenon of “ethnic revival” or “ethnic paradox of modernity”, through the use of these constructs the effectiveness of work in the art therapy approach increases, increasing the effectiveness of work, and facilitates the establishment of contact with the “symbolic” unconscious, revealing deeper internal interpretations of the stated problem. This can be assessed in this study by the approbation of the method and its results.

The method was evaluated by a total of 137 participants, aged between 17 and 50 years, as well as 15 practical psychologists working in the approach of art therapy and university professors of the subject "Art Therapy" in Astana. The obtained results and comments make it possible to conclude that the art-therapeutic method “Shanyrak” can be used as an independent method of work, as well as an auxiliary method in working with fear.