Theory and practice of image art psychotherapy.

Abstract

Image Art Psychotherapy (IAPT) and its practical applications were presented through one case study. The synthetic house-tree-person (Syn. HTP), a part of the whole therapeutic process, is a unique and excellent method for obtaining information on psychoneurotic patients with problems in family dynamics. Free expression, spontaneous expression and thematic drawings are utilized simultaneously in IAPT. It is important to note again that there are image expressions applicable not only to one graphic representation but to a whole series involving the 'drawing-observing-examining-continuing to draw again' process, and somatic self-expression; that these too reflect the preconceptual emotion and total psychosomatic rhythm, and that there exists a process of approaching the true self over the ordinary defences. The importance of the experience process of images or psychosomatic rhythm lies in the fact that not only an understanding and perception of, and insight into the self can be obtained through creative and somatic rhythm expression, but also the flow of the unconceptualized raw emotion and psychosomatic rhythm is manifest as it is and is reorganized in the total psychosomatic sense.