Therapeutic functions of humour in group art therapy with war veterans

Abstract

The article explores humour as a significant human phenomenon and therapeutic factor in interactive group art therapy with war veterans. The multidimensional approach integrating developmental and clinical perspectives on the nature, role and functions of humour has been applied. The emphasis is placed on how humour can be generated and expressed through art in clinical art therapy. Researchers postulated that humour may be especially significant as a coping or defensive means among war veterans somehow related to their specific ‘male culture’, mental disorders involved and therapeutic and group dynamics. Different expressions of humour in spontaneous or task-specific art activities have been studied in their connection with various therapeutic situations and targets involved. High frequency of humorous artistic expressions and their significant correlation with cognitive characteristics of the clients was found.

Keywords:

• Art therapy
• art
• body
• humour
• war veterans

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alexander Kopytin

Biographical details

Alexander Kopytin has a degree in psychiatry and worked in various psychiatric institutions in St. Petersburg between 1985 and 1999. He is a certified psychotherapist and introduced art psychotherapy to his work with patients in 1995. He has a doctorate in clinical psychology and holds a position of a Professor and teaches psychotherapy and art therapy, in particular, at St. Petersburg Academy of Post-Graduate Pedagogical Training, and North-West Medical I. Mechnikov. His research interests include developing a theory and methods of art psychotherapy, an evidence-base to art therapy practice, and establishing art therapy services in clinical, educational and social settings. His recent publications include Contemporary Clinical Art Therapy (Moscow: Cogito-Center, 2015), Diagnostics in Art Therapy (St. Petersburg: Rech, 2014), Art Therapy Methods for Coping the Consequences of Traumatic Stress (Moscow: Cogito-Center, 2014), and Art Therapy of Mental Disorders (St. Petersburg: Rech, 2011). Email: [email protected]

Alexey Lebedev

Alexey Lebedev has a degree in psychiatry and is a certified psychotherapist. He took the post-graduate diploma course in art therapy at St. Petersburg Academy of Post-Graduate Pedagogical Training in 2006–2008. He works in the Psychotherapy Department of the Hospital of War Veterans in Volgograd and teaches psychotherapy at Volgograd State Medical University, Department of General and Clinical Psychology. His research interests include developing methods of art psychotherapy, an evidence-base to art therapy practice with stress-related disorders. Email: [email protected]