Tied to the cosmos by the heartstrings: an exploratory case study of art therapy with an individual diagnosed with schizophrenia

Abstract: The focus of this thesis is to investigate the use of art therapy in the treatment of an individual diagnosed with schizophrenia. In this qualitative narrative single case study, eleven art therapy sessions are described using non-directive spontaneous art making with a 37-year-old man residing in a psychosocial rehabilitation program. The research study describes this client's delusional world, and explores the struggle of making sense of his traumatic experiences in early childhood. The themes that emerge in this exploratory study are many and grief and bereavement are the focus as the client uncovers the connections between the past and the present. The process of the art therapy sessions and the progression in the imagery from chaos to serenity is described as the client moves from darkness into light, and as we witness his exploration of space in the images of the whirlwind that reappear throughout the sessions.

Originally part of the Australasian Digital Theses (ADT) database.

Submission note: A thesis submitted in total fulfilment for the requirements for the degree of [to the School of Public Health], Faculty of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora.