Module Title: Art Psychotherapy: madness, creativity and healing

Module outline
This module will provide both theoretical and experiential elements designed to provide students with an introduction to Art Psychotherapy with a particular emphasis on a Jungian approach. Theory will include a broad outline of the psychology of C.G Jung including areas such as the structure of the unconscious, symbols as the language of the unconscious, the archetypes and the collective unconscious and active imagination. These ideas will also be used for exploring elements of Art Theory especially in respect to the psychopathology of art. Other psychoanalytical ideas relating to art, and especially those from Sigmund Freud such as Sublimation will also be explored and
exemplified through a study of his seminal analysis of Leonardo Da Vinci. This will include a visit to the National Gallery in London to view some of the paintings and drawings referred to by Freud. A visit to the Freud Museum will also be included providing students with the opportunity to see where Freud conducted ‘the talking cure’ of psychoanalysis and to view his famous couch. This Module also features a week long workshop providing students with the opportunity to experience the Art Psychotherapeutic process directly and therefore students should be prepared for a degree of personal disclosure and the possibility of hither-to unconscious elements of the self to emerge.

Assessment
Students will keep a ‘reflective log’ diary throughout the course and will be encouraged to include photographs of their images made during this introduction to Art Psychotherapy module. Towards the end of the course they will submit a 2,500 word essay that will highlight the most important areas of learning taken from the reflective log. The Log itself will remain confidential and will not be submitted.

*Course content subject to change