Bruce Moon
Encyclopedia
Bruce Moon is an American Art therapist
, educator, artist, and author. He is also a singer/songwriter who has recorded several albums. He is an Honorary Life Member (HLM) of the American Art Therapy Association
(AATA), which is their most prestigious honor given to outstanding contributors to the field of Art Therapy.
. As a sophomore in high school in 1967, Moon's life revolved around sports and rock 'n' roll. His life was suddenly altered one morning in gym class when he crushed his heel bone and ruptured his Achilles tendon
. His ability to participate in competitive sports was over. He was bedridden for several weeks and then had to use crutches for an additional ten months. During that time, Moon entered a state of depression
until his artist friend proposed an idea. He said he would teach Moon to draw if Moon taught him to play the guitar. Not only did this provide Moon with company and social contact while being bedridden, but more importantly he discovered his artistic abilities and the therapeutic
benefits of artistic expression firsthand.
In June 1973, he received a Bachelor of Science
degree in Art Education
from Wright State University
in Dayton, Ohio
. He then worked at Harding Hospital in Worthington, Ohio
, where he earned an AATA-approved Certificate of Clinical Internship in their Art Therapy Master's Equivalency program in March 1975. He attended Methodist Theological School
in Delaware, Ohio
, where he received a Master of Arts
in Education in June 1976, and a Master of Divinity
in June 1982. His formal education culminated in November 1997 with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
in Creative Arts
with a Specialization in Art Therapy from the Union Institute
in Cincinnati, Ohio
.
Bruce Moon has been the director of the graduate art therapy program at Mount Mary College
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
since 2001. Prior to this position, he was a professor and the director of the graduate art therapy program at Marywood University
in Scranton, Pennsylvania
from 1996 to 2001. He was also co-director of the graduate clinical art therapy program at Harding Hospital in Worthington, Ohio from 1988 until 1996, which is an affiliate of Lesley College
in Cambridge, Massachusetts
, where he was also an adjunct faculty member and affiliation coordinator.
Bruce Moon is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Illinois
, and a registered and board certified art therapist. He is a consultant to the Student Counseling Service at Mount Mary College, and has performed art therapy services pro bono
at the Alternative Behavioral Treatment Center in Mundelein, Illinois
since 2005. He ran a private practice in Worthington, Ohio from 1989 until 1996, providing individual art therapy services for children, adolescents, and adults. From 1986 until 1992, he was the Chief of Adjunctive Therapy of Harding Hospital's Child and Adolescent Division. He also worked as an arts specialist from 1973 to 1975 at the Worthington Community Counseling Service.
Bruce Moon believes art making is a spiritual and sacred act; art is soul, and creating art creates the soul. His faith lies in creative expression as the best form of communication between the internal and external worlds, and between the self and god.
According to Moon, making art serves an existential
purpose and can help people overcome feelings of emptiness and hopelessness.
Bruce Moon's medium of choice is painting, as evidenced by the illustrations in his books. He tends to use his own imagery to accompany his writings. He pursues other modes of creative expression including performance art and poetry. He is a singer/songwriter, has recorded several albums, and regularly performs at small concert venues. He is the co-editor of the book Word Pictures: The Poetry and Art of Art Therapists (2004), which is a unique collection of artwork, poems, and essays by art therapists and art therapy students.
Art therapy
Because of its dual origins in art and psychotherapy, art therapy definitions vary. They commonly either lean more toward the ART art-making process as therapeutic in and of itself, "art as therapy," or focus on the psychotherapeutic transference process between the therapist and the client who...
, educator, artist, and author. He is also a singer/songwriter who has recorded several albums. He is an Honorary Life Member (HLM) of the American Art Therapy Association
American Art Therapy Association
The American Art Therapy Association is a U.S. national professional association of over 5,000 practicing art therapists, students, educators, and related practitioners in the field of art therapy, with both U.S. and international members...
(AATA), which is their most prestigious honor given to outstanding contributors to the field of Art Therapy.
Life and work
Bruce L. Moon's path to becoming a successful art therapist and educator began in Sidney, OhioSidney, Ohio
Sidney is a city in Shelby County, Ohio, United States. The population was 20,211 at the 2000 census. It is named after English poet Sir Phillip Sidney and is the county seat of Shelby County.Sidney was the recipient of the 1964 All-America City Award...
. As a sophomore in high school in 1967, Moon's life revolved around sports and rock 'n' roll. His life was suddenly altered one morning in gym class when he crushed his heel bone and ruptured his Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
. His ability to participate in competitive sports was over. He was bedridden for several weeks and then had to use crutches for an additional ten months. During that time, Moon entered a state of depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
until his artist friend proposed an idea. He said he would teach Moon to draw if Moon taught him to play the guitar. Not only did this provide Moon with company and social contact while being bedridden, but more importantly he discovered his artistic abilities and the therapeutic
Therapy
This is a list of types of therapy .* Adventure therapy* Animal-assisted therapy* Aquatic therapy* Aromatherapy* Art and dementia* Art therapy* Authentic Movement* Behavioral therapy* Bibliotherapy* Buteyko Method* Chemotherapy...
benefits of artistic expression firsthand.
In June 1973, he received a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in Art Education
Art education
Art education is the area of learning that is based upon the visual, tangible arts—drawing, painting, sculpture, and design in jewelry, pottery, weaving, fabrics, etc. and design applied to more practical fields such as commercial graphics and home furnishings...
from Wright State University
Wright State University
Wright State University is a comprehensive public university with strong doctoral, research, and undergraduate programs, rated among the 260 Best National Universities listed in the annual "America's Best Colleges" rankings by U.S. News and World Report. Wright State is located in Fairborn, Ohio,...
in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
. He then worked at Harding Hospital in Worthington, Ohio
Worthington, Ohio
-Dissolution of the Company:By August 11, 1804 the plat maps were completed, payments or notes promising payments collected and deeds prepared for all sixteen thousand acres of the Scioto Company's purchase...
, where he earned an AATA-approved Certificate of Clinical Internship in their Art Therapy Master's Equivalency program in March 1975. He attended Methodist Theological School
Methodist Theological School in Ohio
The Methodist Theological School in Ohio, commonly known as "Methesco", is one of the 13 official seminaries of The United Methodist Church.MTSO is a partner in the Theological Consortium of Greater Columbus, along with Trinity Lutheran Seminary and the Pontifical College Josephinum...
in Delaware, Ohio
Delaware, Ohio
The City of Delaware is a city in and the county seat of Delaware County in the United States state of Ohio. Delaware was founded in 1808 and was incorporated in 1816. It is located near the center of Ohio, is about north of Columbus, and is part of the Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area...
, where he received a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Education in June 1976, and a Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
in June 1982. His formal education culminated in November 1997 with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Creative Arts
Creative Arts
Creative arts is the term used to describe different types of art. Specifically, to introduce fine art ideas, techniques, skills and media. It is generally used as an umbrella for Dramaturgy, Music , Graphic Arts/Cartooning, Performing Arts, Film and Publishing, Galleries and Museums and the Visual...
with a Specialization in Art Therapy from the Union Institute
Union Institute & University
Union Institute & University is a non-profit private college, specializing in limited residence and distance learning programs. With the main campus in Cincinnati, Union Institute & University operates -from Ohio- "satellite campuses" located in Montpelier, Vermont; Brattleboro, Vermont; North...
in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
.
Bruce Moon has been the director of the graduate art therapy program at Mount Mary College
Mount Mary College
Mount Mary College is a Catholic women's college based on the liberal arts, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It offers bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and bachelor of science in nursing in partnership with Columbia College of Nursing degrees in over 60 undergraduate majors, and master of arts,...
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
since 2001. Prior to this position, he was a professor and the director of the graduate art therapy program at Marywood University
Marywood University
Marywood University is a selective, coeducational, Catholic liberal arts university located on a campus in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Established in 1915 by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and currently enrolls approximately 3,500 students on a national award-winning campus...
in Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
from 1996 to 2001. He was also co-director of the graduate clinical art therapy program at Harding Hospital in Worthington, Ohio from 1988 until 1996, which is an affiliate of Lesley College
Lesley College
Lesley College is the undergraduate section, and founding institution of, Lesley University.The college was founded in 1909 by Edith Lesley as The Lesley School, a women's college which focused on early childhood education as a part of the international kindergarten movement established by...
in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, where he was also an adjunct faculty member and affiliation coordinator.
Bruce Moon is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and a registered and board certified art therapist. He is a consultant to the Student Counseling Service at Mount Mary College, and has performed art therapy services pro bono
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
at the Alternative Behavioral Treatment Center in Mundelein, Illinois
Mundelein, Illinois
Mundelein is a village in Lake County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 31,064.-History:The community now known as Mundelein has been inhabited since at least 1650, when the Potowatami Indians were known to have been trading with French fur traders....
since 2005. He ran a private practice in Worthington, Ohio from 1989 until 1996, providing individual art therapy services for children, adolescents, and adults. From 1986 until 1992, he was the Chief of Adjunctive Therapy of Harding Hospital's Child and Adolescent Division. He also worked as an arts specialist from 1973 to 1975 at the Worthington Community Counseling Service.
Bruce Moon believes art making is a spiritual and sacred act; art is soul, and creating art creates the soul. His faith lies in creative expression as the best form of communication between the internal and external worlds, and between the self and god.
According to Moon, making art serves an existential
Existential therapy
Existential psychotherapy is a philosophical method of therapy that operates on the belief that inner conflict within a person is due to that individual's confrontation with the givens of existence. These givens, as noted by Irvin D...
purpose and can help people overcome feelings of emptiness and hopelessness.
Bruce Moon's medium of choice is painting, as evidenced by the illustrations in his books. He tends to use his own imagery to accompany his writings. He pursues other modes of creative expression including performance art and poetry. He is a singer/songwriter, has recorded several albums, and regularly performs at small concert venues. He is the co-editor of the book Word Pictures: The Poetry and Art of Art Therapists (2004), which is a unique collection of artwork, poems, and essays by art therapists and art therapy students.
Books by Bruce Moon
- Art-Based Group Therapy (2010)
- Existential Art Therapy: The Canvas Mirror (3rd ed., 2008)
- Introduction to Art Therapy: Faith in the Product (2nd ed., 2008)
- The Role of Metaphor in Art Therapy: Theory, Method, and Experience (2007)
- Ethical Issues in Art Therapy (2nd ed., 2006)
- Art and Soul: Reflections on an Artistic Psychology (2nd ed., 2004)
- Word Pictures: The Poetry and Art of Art Therapists (co-editor, 2004)
- Essentials of Art Therapy Education and Practice (2nd ed., 2003)
- Working with Images: The Art of Art Therapists (2002)
- The Dynamics of Art as Therapy with Adolescents (1998)