About the Book

• The Lady and the Unicorn: A Psychological Metaphor



• Dreaming�With Eyes Wide Open: Schizophrenic Hallucinations



• Information Processing in Schizophrenia



• Clarification of our Clinical versus Forensic Function: Dual Relationship



• Art Psychotherapy



• Lord of the Rings: A Psychological Metaphor



• Aviation Psychology



• So, You have just been Passed by a Girl! A Holley Carborator may help



• Approaches in Memory Rehabilitation



• Memory Enhancement Module



• Negaunee Center



• The Final Transition



• Is Deinstitution- alzation a Misnomer



• Token System: a Psychiatric Case Study



• A Token Economy System: Inpatient Psychiatric Population



• Insight: An Aspect of Neurocognition

Art Psychotherapy: A Crisis of Opportunity

Recently, we have been given an opportunity to examine our patients from a new perspective. Due to a recent situation, we have had a trial opportunity of providing a comprehensive group assessments through our psychosocial rehabilitation program. In a recent group sessions, a 13 X 18-inch sheet of paper with a variety of markers were given to our patients. They were asked to draw the traditional projective testing items of a House, Tree and Person. The results of these drawings were both very surprising as well as intriguing.

The seminal work of both Freud and Jung provided the foundation stones for art psychotherapy, which steeped richly in psychoanalysis. In the treaties of Freud (1900/1958), it was hypothesized that symbols within themselves are perhaps forgotten memory traces forged within the patient�s unconscious. These symbols are likely to emerge through dreams or artistic _expression which, may arise from intrapsychic conflicts. Symbols may mask unconscious anxieties that are laden with the means of projecting a disguise in an effort to safeguard the individual�s feelings. Conceptualizing this process (Jung, 1964) stated that �the four functions of consciousness- thought, feeling, intuition, and sensation-equip man to deal with the impressions of the world he receives from within and without. It is by means of these functions that he comprehends and assimilates his experiences; it is by means of them that he can respond.� (p. 240) Furthermore, Carl Jung (1971) put forth that symbols are interpersonal experiences, which are only partially formed (requiring further inquiry and interpretations). In fact facing the problem of personality and it�s complexities as a dynamic process in contrast to static organization of traits and factors then projective methods offer many advantages of obtaining data and organizing experiences that is peculiar to each personality. (Murstein, 1965, p.17)

Here we have a picture drawn by a young man of a house. From a projective perspective, it generally suggests one�s home environment. Various aspects of the structure of the house may indirectly reflect the unconscious factors of innermost thoughts and feelings regarding one�s own perceptions of their family relationships as well as other salient issues. For instance, the drawing of a house, offers an opportunity of an alternative form of communication for our patient, but without full acknowledgment that this drawing may actually represents his or her own house. Defensively, �this protection from directly confronting emotionally laden material makes the _expression and relating of feelings less anxiety provoking and less likely to produce a defensive posture.� (Oster and Gould, 1987 p. 6)

Furthermore, the tree appears to reflect the subject�s relatively deeper and more unconscious feeling about himself�the person becomes a vehicle for conveying the subject�s closer-to-conscious view of himself and his relationship with his environment. (Hammer, 1980 p. 171-172) The drawing of the tree suggests indirectly how one sees himself in terms of progression though their psychosocial development. Within the course of our lives there may be some psychological scaring and trauma, which has had a major impact upon our development. This technique may be helpful to use as a source of inquiry regarding their development. Drawing are an �avenue of _expression and therefore less likely to be controlled, allowing more pre- and unconscious material to be revealed.� (Oster and Gould, 1987 p.10). The drawing of the persons reflects on how the patient presents himself to others. It is interesting to note that this is not necessarily how he sees himself. It remains more cryptic when considering counteracting the overall all effects of self-disclosure.

These drawing are mental representations having the advantage of being interpreted to elucidate material, which is currently outside the realm of the patient�s conscious awareness. They may be interpreted as symbolic manifestations of the individual�s inner need, drives, conflicts, ego strength and impulses constituting an important portion of one�s personality. The advantage to these types of projective techniques is the patient has less sophisticated defensive mechanism in the spatial realm versus their well-developed verbal defenses. Thus, much information maybe gathered quite quickly and provides a glimpse of our patient�s personal perspective as well as revealing some of their motives and drives. �Creating a concrete object- that is drawings makes it easier to communicate with others than to verbally acknowledge personal feelings, especially if these feelings are frightening. The �objectification� of a feeling allows the person to recognize that the feeling exists and in time the individual may accept it as an internal representation of the self (Wadeson, 1980).�

Although, the drawing session quickly expanded into a myriad of other topics. The drawing produced during these brief sessions, struck us as being important and to some extend revealing of some aspects of the patient�s personality. In numerous cases, none of us expected what we saw in their drawings even though we had worked with a few of our patients for years. It was as though a new light was shed upon who these individuals were. Although these drawing do not lend themselves easily to objective indices, they do provide a valuable insight into the way in which our patients view the world around them. Upon a similar path toward self inquiry an Italian painter Giorgio de Chirico wrote on his self �portrait (1908): Et quid amabo nisi quod aenigma est (�And what am I to love if not the enigma?�).

I was able to obtain a few drawings from our crisis of opportunity. They remain quite stunning portraits of our patients, who were able to reveal another important side of themselves. As always I am grateful for all my patients have taught me. Two exceptional staff members assisted me in gaining this invaluable information on our patients, much thanks and acknowledgement must go to Ms. Shelly Stout, CTRS and Ms. Minga Jones, CSW for their support and encouragement of this endeavor.

References and Bibliography