Creating ChangesThe Light on Art Therapy: Uncovering Shadows |
| By Emylia Safian | |||||
 Image 1 Quoting Yalom (1995): "I have yet to encounter the unproblematic patient, the one whose course of therapy resembles a newly christened ship gliding smoothly down the slip into the water". A fellow traveller in the journey of self-exploration allows for elimination of blind spots, and provision of containment during moments of discomfort when journeying deeper to unravel the mystery of the unconscious. It is a humbling experience to be allowed to journey alongside a fellow adult within a trusting relationship. Julie was a healthy adult female aged 40 years old, who utilised art therapy for personal development. Julie was a reflective person and prior to coming for sessions, she seeked answers to life’s challenges through self-help psychology books and her personal spiritual practice. While I did not make it an intention to analyse dreams in our sessions, an invaluable opportunity presented itself through an image she painted. The symbolism of that dream imagery grew and became pivotal to the following sessions’ explorations, up to the end of our sessions. There were multiple symbols in this image [see Image 1], overlapping and intertwining with the other. Julie paused periodically, distanced her gaze from the image, and saw and developed more and more symbols in the artwork. Most significantly, Julie repeatedly uttered “scary” as she continued further in the process. The image’s emotional message appeared to be so, and amongst other things, the image stirred unpleasant dream memories Julie had had since she was in her teenage years. Julie frequently dreamed of a shadowy, hooded man trying to harm her in different ways. She attributed the symbol appearing in her dreams whenever she got anxious, helpless or insecure about life experiences. The dream symbol had first appeared when she was 14 years old. The hooded stranger, whose only visible features were his eyes, had appeared in the artwork that day. The act of creating in the art therapy session had placed Julie in a position of control. The scary symbol was amidst other symbols of “strength”, “power” and “freedom”, contrasting with her dream state when opposing emotions like “attacked”, “threatened” or “rejected” were evoked by the same imagery. Our following sessions saw Julie recalling and sharing more of her past dreams with me, with the hooded stranger symbol mentioned in the same emotional tone again. We brought that particular symbol to a deeper discourse, exploring it as a shadow aspect described by Jung as an unconscious part of one’s personality which is least desirable and largely negative. “Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is.” (Jung in Miller, C.J., 2004). Once an image is externalised, transformation begins to take place in the inner world of the artist even without interpretation. After some weeks, Julie came to a realisation that the dream symbol that manifested as a hooded stranger was possibly her disguised self. She accepted it as a part of herself that needed to feel more protected, in-control, confident and secure. With this consciousness of the dream symbol within the artwork, Julie was able to understand herself through a process that could never have been substituted by words alone, and to take the process of individuation to greater heights. Julie ended her sessions with a painting titled “Hope” [see Image 2] and a letter to herself - “Life is like a book, with some pages you want to bookmark. Like a good book, the plot gets thicker. Enjoy life like you enjoy a good book, with a cup of tea and cake.” References Gilroy, A. & McNeilly, G. eds. (2000). The Changing Shape of Art Therapy: New Developments in Theory and Practice. London & Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Miller, C.J. (2004). The Transcendent Function: Jung’s model of psychological growth through dialogue with the unconscious. New York: State University of New York Press. Schaverien, J. (1992). The Revealing Image: Analytical Art Psychotherapy in Theory and Practice. London & Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Yalom, I. (1995). The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy (4th edition). New York: BasicBooks. Yalom, I. (2003). The Gift of Therapy: an open letter to a new generation of therapists and their patients. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
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