Sylvia Dolce

Art Therapy in Psychosomatic Medicine: Using Art and Guided Imagery to Promote Affect Regulation Sylvia Dolce

This case study is based on the assumption that using Art Therapy and guided imagery techniques in a therapeutic process with patients affected by psychosomatic conditions can enhance their symbolic functions and facilitate their ability to express their feelings and regulate their affect. A brief review of the history of psychosomatic medicine is offered and basic concepts of the somatization process are presented. In the second half of this paper, the Art Therapy process of two women affected by psychosomatic disturbances is reviewed. The artwork they produced before and after using guided imagery techniques in their Art Therapy sessions is compared. Differences in their artwork between pre and post guided imagery sessions are observed, stimulating questions and reflections on this approach to treatment for psychosomatic patients. Though this case study does not provide conclusions from which generalizations can be drawn, it does demonstrate that this approach did appear to impact the two patients? symbolic expression and did seem to enhance their psychotherapeutic process.