hrvatski

The role of art in therapeutic work with forensic patients

Art as a therapeutic activity in psychiatry encourages creativity and contributes to the patient’s overall health. Creativity is essential for mental health promotion and disease prevention, while it enhances introspection and self-expression, and leads to personal growth and development. In addition, group work that is focused on producing creative contents enhances communication skills of patients, with an emphasis on co-operation and respect towards other people. While being creative, person experiences flow: the mental state which is characterized by intense concentration on the present moment through merging action and awareness, and experiencing intrinsic motivation for the activity. The aim of this paper is to present some aspects of group art work with forensic patients at the University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče. Due to the fact that forensic patients in general require long treatment, they are suitable for inclusion in more challenging and complex activities that take time, such as collages and movies. It is possible to organize this work in a way that one single group of patients participates from an initial idea to its realization, as well as learns various art techniques, develops interests and creative thinking. Moreover, presentation of the work is seen as an added value, as it includes exposure to an audience and receiving its feedback. In this paper some examples of the group art work with forensic patients will be presented. Depending on the patients' affinities, abilities, and (in) dependence, a workshop leader and the patients choose themes that enable free expression of interpretations, irrespective of the techniques used. It can be concluded that group art work presents important aspect of therapy and recovery of forensic patients

art therapy ; forensic psychiatry ; occupational therapy

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