The image, mentalisation and group art psychotherapy

Abstract

This article presents a pilot project of a combined treatment programme to treat clients with personality disorder. It consisted of an art psychotherapy group alongside individual verbal psychotherapy sessions. A description of the first two art therapy group sessions is provided. The clinical material is informed by theoretical concepts that draw together attachment theory and recent discoveries in neuroscience. In particular the capacity to ‘mentalise’ is central to thinking about the role of the image within art therapy. Mentalisation is seen as the capacity to perceive and understand self and others in terms of mental states. Significant interpersonal conflict associated with personality disorder, represents failure of mentalisation, and examples are presented here. The article draws on the contemporary work of Bateman and Fonagy in treating people with personality disorder. Outcome measures used to evaluate the project are briefly presented.

Keywords:

• Role of the image
• mentalisation
• mentalising image
• art psychotherapy group
• joint working
• outcomes personality disorders

Acknowledgements

Our gratitude extends to our psychotherapy colleagues, Anne Pennington and Kendall Collinson whose work is also represented here and especially to our clients who dared to share so much of themselves with each other and ourselves.