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03/09/2006 03:24:57 PM · #1 |
| I am writing a paper on art therapy for a psychology class and I am curious if any of you use photography and/or other art forms as a way of coping with traumatic experiences, grief, loss, depression, or other psychological disorders. If any of you would be willing to share some stories and accompanied artworks that you think would be relevant I would appreciate being able to use some examples for a presentation. I believe that many of us are already artists because we were exposed to the healing power of art at an early age. Some people were never exposed to it and they find a lot of joy in group art therapy or private art therapy excercises. I propose that most artists already serve as their own therapists in a sense that they are already willing to expose their inner feelings through their work, even if sometimes they do not fully understand them. I would also like to get a group of people together to share images and possibly give interpretations of each other's work. If anyone is interested in taking part in this project please PM me. All information will be kept confidential and the participants anonymous if desired. |
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03/09/2006 04:09:23 PM · #2 |
| Photo therapy is a very real therapeutic technique and I have been trying for two years to get the materials needed to start photo therapy groups with my students. I think it's fascinating...a perfect blend of my passion for photography and my passion for helping children heal. Check it out here. |
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03/09/2006 04:33:50 PM · #3 |
| Thanks so much laurie. That's exactly the kind of thing I was thinking about. Such a wonderful idea! I hope it goes through for you! I propose that we start an online photo therapy group here although I am certainly not fit to be the group leader/psychologist/councilor. In fact I might need the therapy. :) |
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03/09/2006 07:21:57 PM · #4 |
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03/09/2006 07:26:08 PM · #5 |
we talked about this in my own psychology class a little bit :o)
Look into Maslow's hierarchy of needs. it's basically what a human needs before it goes insane. arts and asthetics is in there near the top
-JL |
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03/09/2006 07:50:51 PM · #6 |
I don't have much interesting to say, but am interested JPR in some of your thoughts and conclusions as you progress.
If therapy is a means to express thoughts and emotions on certain topics, then I fully believe art is a wonderful way to "express". I find it personally to be a wonderful way to feel the world. I don't necessarily think the psychological aspects of photography and art have to always be associated with negative experiences in terms of therapeutic motives. Could it be? Absolutely. I personally don't have many "traumatic" experiences to draw upon, so I could serve as an opposite example: I find photography to therapeutic insofar as it allows an outlet of emotion, the kind of action usually linked to emoting and absorbing at my fullest capacity the beauty and life around us. Make sense?
Anyway, keep us updated.
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03/10/2006 11:44:28 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by Joey Lawrence:
we talked about this in my own psychology class a little bit :o)
Look into Maslow's hierarchy of needs. it's basically what a human needs before it goes insane. arts and asthetics is in there near the top
-JL |
My favorite Abe Maslow quote: "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself.â
JPR, I'd like to maybe read your paper when you're done. This is something that's always interested me, and I've been considering moving towards art therapy (as a therapist) using poetry and writing. I'm not entirely sure HOW that's done, but I'd like to attempt it all :)
Either way, the topic has always interested me....
Good luck!
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03/10/2006 11:26:38 PM · #8 |
One photographer I know has been doing a fair bit of photography that explores her mother's descent into dementia, and her own feelings about that. The photos are not of her mother, but more abstract - of landscapes/seascapes, particularly taken with a waterproof camera at or just below the surface of the ocean, around the boundaries between land and sea. I believe she derives some therapeutic value from them.
I've done a few photos exploring my experience of mental illness (depression), but I wouldn't say that they are therapeutic in intent or outcome.
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04/03/2006 08:10:41 AM · #9 |
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Message edited by author 2006-04-24 13:08:39. |
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