Art interpretation as a clinical intervention toward healing.

ABSTRACT

Art interpretation is described as a clinical approach in assisting individuals to move toward ever higher levels of wellness. Using it with healthy as well as ill individuals prompts participants to attend to the connection between themselves and the larger world. Asking individuals in a group setting to look closely at art, to make a connection between what they see and their own life experiences, can help them give voice to emotional experiences that help them connect to one another within a community. The exercise can sharpen perceptual and cognitive skills as well as provide the impetus to increase communication. Very often, participants responded to conversational prompts with new insights that were mediated through the use of the observed works of art. Making such connections, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and socially, is helpful in developing coping skills that teach such patients new ways to not only survive but also to thrive despite their health challenges.