Neuroaesthetics: Adopting a Neuroscientifically informed approach to Art Psychotherapy Practice. A literature review exploring the use of art psychotherapy as an intervention with children and young people experiencing social exclusion and isolation in schools.

Abstract

Creative expression is an intrinsic part of being human, reflecting aspects of our inner world that may have previously remained unknown. Art making is intrinsic to art psychotherapy intervention, facilitated through a therapeutic relationship with a trained art therapist. Various art materials and creative intervention approaches are used with the aim of symptom reduction. Although there is considerable documentation of the clinical value of art therapy, quantifying mechanisms of change that may occur during intervention has been a challenge due to the multiple psychic processes involved in psychotherapeutic care. Drawing on the field of neuroscience, neuroaesthetics identifies brain dynamics that occur while engaging with art in an art psychotherapy session. These data may elucidate how making art with an art therapist engages the brain, while also uncovering mechanisms of change and informing measurement of outcomes from clinical art therapy interventions. This paper synthesises relevant literature from neuroscience and neuroaesthetics to generate an understanding of the neural mechanisms that may be present during an art therapy session. Thematic analysis is used as the method to gather, appraise and evaluate the literature. A qualitative methodology aids in reflecting on the relevance of literature to art psychotherapy practice. Gaps within the existing research are highlighted, with suggestions for future investigations that can further unify the fields of neuroaesthetics and art psychotherapy to inform practice.