Photography as family therapy

Phototherapy techniques use people’s own family photos, albums and photographs taken by other people to evoke thoughts, memories, and feelings as well as enhance their therapy process, in a way that words are unable to do. When we take a photograph it is usually for a reason, a prompt by external or internal force. It becomes a “mirror with memory” reflecting back memories of people or moments that impacted us enough to freeze forever by camera. Collectively we form a story of our life, creating visual footprints whether emotionally or physically, perhaps signalling the beginning or end of a journey we are taking or have yet to take.

The actual meaning of a photograph lies not so much in visual facts but rather in what these details evoke inside our mind (and heart). When people reflect on a photograph they construct a meaning that they generated from that photo. This may not necessarily be the original interpretation of the photographer who took it. Therefore its meaning or “emotional” meaning is dependent upon who is doing the looking, because people’s perceptions and life experiences will always define what they see as real. Therefore, the reaction to prompted questions regarding a “special” photograph will automatically tell us something about that person.

These “special” photographs used in the right environment can give great in-sight into deeply embedded emotions and feelings of that person. These may vary depending on the family member, for example, a wife viewing a photograph of her late husband will stimulate and stir completely different emotions than viewed by her children. Or, similarly, a young child may have a stronger connection to a photo fridge magnet which her father gave her of them enjoying time playing on the beach while on holiday, to say, the intimate framed photo the husband gave to his wife of the two of them enjoying a weekend break. They both show the same man but in different context, stirring different connotations and memories.

With the aid of a trained therapist natural bridges can be formed to access, explore and communicate deep emotions and memories of each individual to personalise their transitions through the grieving process.

 

Research

 

 The Canadian Art Therapy Association Journal, 2004

 

Current Directions in Psychology Science, 2005

 

Phototherapy – Centre Journals.com

 

Applied Cognitive Psychology, 2008 – Wiley online library