Carol Thayer Cox

Formerly assistant professor and assistant director of The George Washington University’s Art Therapy Program (1988-1998), Carol rejoined the faculty in 2008. She also taught for Vermont College of Norwich University for five years and is presently teaching in the spring/summer art therapy program at Pratt Institute. Carol offers workshops on color, imagery, and symbolism as reflected by different states of consciousness across the life span and has chaired a national conference on this subject. A frequent lecturer at universities and conferences, Carol is also a certified Journal to the Self® instructor and is the founder of MUSE, a performing arts troupe that teaches psychological theory through the arts. In addition to having a private practice, she has worked in various psychiatric and psycho-educational settings.

Carol’s undergraduate degree is in art history from Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia. Following post-graduate work in studio art and psychology, she earned her master’s in art therapy from The George Washington University in 1984. Carol is a founding board member and former officer of the Association of Teachers of Mandala Assessment and a founding member and first treasurer of the Virginia Art Therapy Association. For ten consecutive years she was appointed to the editorial board of Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, was elected to the nominating committee of AATA and served as chair, and was on the program committee for AATA’s annual conference for many years. She has conducted and supervised numerous art therapy research studies.

Carol enjoys creative writing and making mixed-media collages, woodcuts, and paintings, both oil and acrylic. Inspired by natural forms, she loves the process of juxtaposing shape and color to create metaphors for relationships on many levels, from intrapersonal and interpersonal to archetypal and transpersonal. 

Publications

Fleming, M.M. & Cox, C.T. (1988), "Engaging the somatic patient in healing through art". In H. Wadeson, Perach & Durkin (Eds.), Advances in Art Therapy. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Cohen, B.M. & Cox, C.T. (1989), "Breaking the code: Identification of multiplicity through art productions". Dissociation. 2(3).

Cohen, B.M. & Cox, C.T. (1991). "Breaking the code: Identification of multiplicity through art productions". Treating Abuse Today—The International News Journal of Abuse, Survivorship, and Therapy. 1(2).

Giles, M.M., Cogan, D. & Cox, C.T. (1991), "A music and art program to promote emotional health in elementary school children". Journal of Music Therapy, 28(3).

Cox, C.T. (1992), "The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS®)". In H. Wadeson (Ed.), A Guide to Conducting Art Therapy Research. Mundelein, IL: American Art Therapy Association. 

Cox, C.T. & Frame, P. (1993), "Profile of the artist: MARI® card test research results". Art Therapy, 10(1).

Cox, C.T. (1994), "Book Review of Children’s Drawings of the Human Figure by M. Cox".  American Journal of Art Therapy, 33(2).

Cohen, B.M. & Cox, C.T. (1995), "Telling Without Talking: Art as a Window into the World of Multiple Personality". New York: W.W. Norton.

Williams, K. & Cox, C.T. (1999). "Postscript to the American Art Therapy Association’s 1996-1997 Membership Survey". Art Therapy, 16(2).

Cox, C.T. (2000). "Video Review of Mandala: World of the Mystic Circle". Art Therapy, 17(1).

Cox, C.T. & Cohen, B.M. (2000). "Mandala artwork by clients with DID: Observations based on two theoretical models". Art Therapy, 17(3).

Cox, C.T., Agell, G., Cohen, B.M., Gantt, L. (2000). "Are you assessing what I’m assessing? Let’s take a look". American Journal of Art Therapy, 39(2).

Cohen, B.M. & Cox, C.T. (2001). "Self-hypnotic process and imagery in post-traumatic and outsider art". The Arts in Psychotherapy, 28(5).

Cox, C.T. (2003). "The MARI® Card Test". In C. Malchiodi (Ed.), Handbook of Art Therapy. New York: Guilford

Cox, C., Wilder, V., Heller, P., Sonnen, C., & Bernier, M. (2004). "Celebrating the cycle of life with art, dance, music, and poetry: Marian Chace Foundation annual lecture". American Journal of Dance Therapy, 26 (1).

Cox, C.T. (2004). "In memoriam: Joan Kellogg (1922-2004)". Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 21 (2).

Cox, C.T. & Cohen, B.M. (2005). "The unique role of art making in the treatment of DID". Psychiatric Annals, 35(8).

Cox, C.T. & Heller, P.O. (Eds.) (2006). Portrait of the Artist as Poet. Chicago, IL: Magnolia Street Publishers.

Cox, C. T. (2011). "Book Review of The Mandala Workbook: A Creative Guide for Self-Exploration, Balance, and Well-Being by S. Fincher". Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 28 (2).

Classes Taught

• Assessment Procedures for Art Therapists
• Research in Art Therapy
• Technique of Art Therapy
• Process of Art Therapy
• Family Art Therapy Techniques
• Art Therapy with Children
• Art as Therapy with Adolescents
• Jungian Perspectives in Art Therapy
• Practicum Supervision
• Human Development and Art Therapy
• The Art of Therapeutic Journaling Using Images and Words