Why art psychotherapy? Through the lens of interpersonal neurobiology: The distinctive role of art psychotherapy intervention for clients with early relational trauma

Abstract

This article aims to broaden and deepen the current understanding of art psychotherapy intervention with early relational trauma, through a consilient investigation of neuroscience findings, developmental theories and psychodynamic views, with the heuristic illustration of clinical vignettes. Clinical vignettes will be drawn upon from the author's ontological position as an art psychotherapy trainee with the clinical experience of working with children fleeing from domestic violence, as well as adults in a secure forensic psychiatry setting with a history of childhood abuse. The neurobiological and psycho-physiological underpinning of the pathology of early relational trauma will be examined, leading to the identification of major treatment challenges commonly encountered within the context of psychological intervention. Responding to these challenges, this interdisciplinary investigation proposes that art psychotherapy poses uniquely advantageous qualities in filling these gaps, in contrast to other therapeutic interventions, especially in contrast to those of a verbal and cognitive behavioural nature. Such an investigation aims to provide further insights into the formulation of the clinical practice of art psychotherapy, as well as to inspire practitioners in maximising and emphasising the dimension of art, distinctive to art psychotherapy, offered to this client group.

Keywords:

• Interpersonal neurobiology
• early relational trauma
• art psychotherapy
• neuroscience
• interdisciplinary
• non-verbal communication
• developmental theories

Acknowledgements

This article was inspired by my MA training at Roehampton University, as well as my clinical placements during the course. I would like to thank my supervisors Vickie Le Sache, Christa Scholtz, Katie Smith and Michele Wood.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Biographical details

Joy C. Y. Chong qualified as an art psychotherapist in 2014. During her clinical training, she worked therapeutically with adults in a medium secure forensic setting, as well as with young children (mainly affected by domestic violence/difficult home situations) in a family support charity. Joy has a keen interest in interdisciplinary research, particularly in neuroscience and developmental theories. As a musician and songwriter herself, she is also interested in cross-modality intervention.