Psychotherapy, Literature and the Visual and Performing Arts

Book excerpt: This book explores the relevance of literature and the performing and visual arts for effective clinical psychotherapy. There is a growing interest in the use of the arts in psychotherapy, in part due to an increasing awareness of the limitations in verbal communication and scepticism towards traditional forms of medical treatment. Gathering together perspectives from international practitioners this volume embraces the value of a range of mediums to psychotherapy, from film and photo-therapy to literature and narrative therapy. Based on theoretical studies, clinical expertise and experiential learning, authors offer detailed guidelines on the value of various art forms in practice.