Art therapy with people diagnosed with psychosis: therapists’ experiences of their work and the journey to their current practice

Background: There was insufficient understanding of how art therapists experience their work with people with psychosis-related diagnoses, and of their practice development.<br />Aims: To understand art therapists’ perceived practise and its development regarding psychosis.<br /><br />Methods: Within a grounded theory framework (Corbin & Strauss, 2015; Strauss & Corbin, 1990), interviews and a focus group carried out in the years 2015 to 2017 elicited the experiences of 18 UK-based art therapists, working in a range of National Health Service (NHS) contexts, concerning art therapy in relation to psychosis and how they developed their current practice. Audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed to build theory.<br /><br />Results: The grounded theory proposes how practice and its development intertwine. Training confers resilience but therapists learn greatly from their clients, enhancing their ability for alliance-building. Therapists’ early struggles also spur further training. Skills for trauma are helpful. Clients may become stuck or disengage, and/or develop through ongoing engagement with art and the art therapist, who supports their journey. The service and wider societal contexts impact the art therapist’s work through their effect on clients and/or the art therapist’s ability to attune to clients. <br /><br />Conclusions: The findings concur with previous research regarding common therapeutic factors, especially the alliance, and on other therapists’ practice development. <br />Implications for practice and research: Understanding therapy processes should incorporate service and societal influences on therapist and client. Training needs to include understanding adversity and trauma, and working with trauma.<br />