Symbolic Images in Art as Therapy

Book excerpt: Combining detailed case material and over 80 examples of patients' work, the author describes how the symbolic image and the style in which it is represented often relate to a particular stage in the integration of painful experiences. As the image and the style change, so does the individual, who discovers previously untapped sources of creativity and inner strength. Drawing on theoretical insights of Jung, Balint, Milner, Winnicott and others, R. M. Simon brings to life the different ways in which patients experience art therapy and the shifting role of the therapist responding to their needs.