Using found objects in art therapy...

My conker offering made in a group workshop on 9th October.

We had a workshop yesterday where we were instructed to bring in a found object to work with in the next session.

Trying to find an object was a struggle for me as all I kept seeing on my travels were pieces of litter which I didn't see fit to bring in for the workshop as I knew there would be some sort of meaning attributed to it. I was trying to be aware of my own feelings as I was searching for an object. I had this sense of looking for an object but not knowing what I was searching for and this made me feel uneasy. I had anxiety in looking for something which had to be something "good", in the back of my mind I was wondering what other people would bring in too.

In the end I brought in a conker that has an interesting story in itself as I 'found' it in my catholic church. There was a large box full of lots of conkers with a sign, scribbled on a piece of ripped cardboard, 'Please help yourself to horse cheasuts'. I'm not sure why this was there as the church has never done this before! I was surprised but felt obliged to take one. I felt that these conkers were different from the regular ones on the ground.

It made me think a few questions such as:
'Why are these conkers offered in a box here when there are tons on the ground?'
'Who collected them?' 
'Why was the sign written in such a quick, almost tatty manner?'
'What made this mystery person collect them to hand out?'

I felt a huge sense of mystery around this box of conkers!

So I chose one of the what seemed like hundreds and made an alter type offering for the conker in the workshop. I had to focus on the materials and how I worked with them. I found I chose a very earthy material to work with to heighten the sense of environment, life, death... all the elements you find during a catholic mass service.

Anyway, this workshop really got me thinking about bringing a found object into the therapeutic space and whether this was 'ok'. I read a piece of text by Julie brooker (2010) Found objects in art therapy, International Jounral of Art Therapy: Fromerly Inscape, 15:1, 25-35.
This text was great in providing one case study on how bringing found objects engaged a client who otherwise was disengaged and felt unworthy of using the art materials. It  makes me question the viability of this... if art therapy doesn't use art then what is it?

Is using found materials a step away from the basis of art therapy itself? I cannot answer these questions at this stage.

I did however find the text useful because it made me aware of what art therapy can be. The boundaries seem to have changed in this case. If people can bring objects into the therapeutic space why can't they take anything else out of it?

It cannot be denied the use of found objects helped this particular client but it could raise all sorts of anxieties for other clients if they are asked to perform this task. Maybe this will heighten their inadequacy if they cannot find anything? Similar to the feelings I felt when asked to find an object.
I want to read more about bringing items into the therapeutic space, I look forward to reading more about these boundaries and what it means if the boundaries are somewhat blurred.