‘The silent intermediary’: a co-authored exploration of a client’s experience of art psychotherapy for C-PTSD

ABSTRACT

Background

This article presents a client’s (art therapee’s) conceptualisation of his experience of art psychotherapy for symptoms of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD).

Context

He was receiving treatment through a community adult mental health team within the UK National Health Service.

Approach

The art therapee wrote about his art psychotherapy experience, and then he and his art psychotherapist identified key themes. They related his account to art psychotherapy theory and evidence and drew out implications of his experience for art psychotherapy research.

Outcomes/Conclusions

The art therapee found that an art psychotherapy approach was helpful in these ways: having control; expressing without words; distancing from trauma; being creative and playful. He identified some aspects of the art psychotherapy which seem to be under-represented in art psychotherapy literature: the importance of the therapist’s acceptance of the client’s artwork for building trust; the way in which artmaking bypasses the fear of ‘telling’ about past abuse; and the therapeutic value of creativity and play for accessing positive aspects of the child self.

Implications for research

It would be valuable to gain information from other clients with C-PTSD about their experiences of art psychotherapy. Research into the identified under-explored aspects of art psychotherapy practice, the use of artmaking for C-PTSD symptom management and how artmaking can be integrated within other approaches to C-PTSD treatment would be useful.

Plain-language summary

This article describes how a client (art therapee) with symptoms of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) experienced art psychotherapy. The art therapee received therapy through a UK National Health Service community adult mental health team. The therapy sessions were on a weekly basis over an 18-month period.

The art therapee wrote about his art psychotherapy experience, and then he and his art psychotherapist identified some themes. They related his account to art psychotherapy theory and evidence and drew out implications of his experience for art psychotherapy research.

The art therapee found that an art psychotherapy approach was helpful in four main ways. It helped him to feel in control of the therapeutic process, and enabled him to express experiences of past abuse without having to use words. It gave him a sense of distance from his traumatic experiences. Finally, it helped him to connect with his creativity.

He identified some particular aspects of his experience which seem to be under-represented in art psychotherapy literature: the importance of the therapist’s acceptance of the client’s artwork for building trust; the way in which artmaking bypasses the fear of ‘telling’ about past abuse; and how creativity and playfulness in art psychotherapy sessions can enable a more positive view of oneself as a child.

The authors consider that it would be valuable to gain information from other clients with C-PTSD about their experiences of art psychotherapy and to undertake research into those aspects of the client’s experience which appear not to have been explored significantly so far. Research into how artmaking can help relieve C-PTSD symptoms and how artmaking might be used within other approaches to C-PTSD treatment would also be useful.

Video Abstract

Read the transcript

Watch the video on Vimeo

© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

KEYWORDS:

• Art psychotherapy
• art therapy
• PTSD
• C-PTSD
• trauma
• mental health
• adult
• co-authorship

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Neil Winter

Neil Winter has a Bachelor of Laws degree and master’s degree in Law with distinction, and is a highly specialised barrister with a top legal 100 company. Neil has finished a soon to be published novel. Neil devotes his personal time and study to exploring and understanding current and emergent knowledge and therapies specific to C-PTSD and early trauma, and works as an expert by experience in an effort to assist other fellow sufferers. Neil's adopted mission is to ensure his achievements and aspirations, both personal and professional, are not defined by his early trauma or limited by his deteriorated mental health. For example, he attained the highest distinction in his master's degree whilst at the peak of his mental health issues. In achieving his goals he hopes it will serve as an inspiration and motivation for other mental health sufferers. Email: [email protected]

Ali Coles

Ali Coles has an MA in Art Therapy and is an Art Psychotherapist for Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, working for the Complex Psychological Interventions Team in community adult mental health services. She also teaches on the MA Art Psychotherapy course at the University of South Wales. Email: [email protected].