Portrait Therapy
Resolving Self-Identity Disruption in Clients with Life-Threatening and Chronic Illnesses
Published on 21. September 2017
Book
Paperback/Softback
296 pages
978-1-78592-293-0 (ISBN)
Description
Portrait therapy reverses the traditional roles in art therapy, utilising Edith Kramer's concept of the art therapist's 'third hand' to collaboratively design and paint their clients' portraits. It addresses 'disrupted' self-identity, which is common in serious illness and characterised by statements like 'I don't know who I am anymore' and 'I'm not the person I used to be'.
This book explores the theory and practice of portrait therapy, including Kenneth Wright's theory of 'mirroring and attunement'. Case studies, accompanied by colour portraits, collages and prose-poems, provide insight into the intervention and the author highlights the potential for portrait therapy to be used with other client groups in the future.
This book explores the theory and practice of portrait therapy, including Kenneth Wright's theory of 'mirroring and attunement'. Case studies, accompanied by colour portraits, collages and prose-poems, provide insight into the intervention and the author highlights the potential for portrait therapy to be used with other client groups in the future.
Reviews / Votes
This intriguing book turns the art therapy lens in the reverse direction - the art therapist painting portraits co-created with seriously ill clients, to help revalidate their self-identities. It is a fascinating book, thoroughly researched and well written. -- Marian Liebmann, art therapistMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (UK-trade)
Illustrations
8pp colour images & approx. 20 b&w
Dimensions
Height: 226 mm
Width: 150 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
450 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78592-293-0 (9781785922930)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Susan Carr
Portrait Therapy
Resolving Self-Identity Disruption in Clients with Life-Threatening and Chronic Illnesses
E-Book
09/2017
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
€33.99
Available for download
Person
Dr Susan Carr is an art therapist, artist, writer and researcher, with 12 years' experience working in palliative care. She is an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Art Therapy and is based in Swindon, UK.
Content
Foreword. Acknowledgements. Part I. Focusing the Gaze. 1. Setting the Scene: Introducing Portraiture as a 'Third Hand' Intervention. 2. Priming the Canvas: A Phenomenological Approach to Depicting Subjectivity. 3. Selecting the Medium: Portraiture as a Therapeutic Tool. Part II. Collaborative Case-Studies. 4. Portrait Therapy as a Collaborative Intervention: Paint Me This Way! 5. Increasing the Patients' Creative Capacity to Adapt to Illness. 6. Mirroring and Attunement through Portraiture: Intersubjective and Symbolic Ways of Knowing, Being and Relating. 7. Making Special, Making Meaning: Increasing the Lived Experience of Homelike-Being-in-the-World and Ontological Security. Part III. Portrait Therapy Protocol and Evaluation Methods. 8. A Therapist's Manual: The Three Phases of Portrait Therapy. 9. Making Connections: Evaluating Portrait Therapy. 10. Afterword: Drawing Conclusions. Appendix 1. Images used in the Portrait Reference Album (PRA). 2. Semi-structured end of project interview (EPI) questions used to evaluate portrait therapy. References.