Therapeutic frames – exploring the relationship between psychiatry and visual art

Abstract

Objectives: While mental illness has long been associated with states of heightened creativity, the intersection between psychiatry and art warrants further exploration. This paper seeks to examine some fundamental concerns common to both disciplines, highlighting the therapeutic potential of visual art within psychiatric practice. Conclusions: Psychiatry and art are both concerned with the visual embodiment of abstract internal states, compelling us to deconstruct surface appearances in the pursuit of deeper meaning. Both also offer a window into the manifold ways in which others perceive the world. In a practical sense, art has significant therapeutic value, providing patients and clinicians with novel ways of processing emotions and fostering self-expression and agency.