Re: Seeking references or experiences in using PhotoTherapy techniques with groups

Posted by Cathy Lander-Goldberg on 4/5/2006, 2:36 pm, in reply to "Seeking references or experiences in using PhotoTherapy techniques with groups"

Hello Yesenia. I use some phototherapy techniques in a body image group with women who have eating disorders. I have found the projective exercises in Judy Weiser's book useful in opening dialogues and assessing perceptions. The directive I often use is "select (from a collection of photos) a woman who you believe has a positive body image and one who you believe has a negative body image." Typically, I ask clients to write answers to structured questions first -- then share with the group. I also use the self-portrait exercises in an experiential group from time to time. Best Regards, Cathy Lander-Goldberg, MSW

Re: Seeking references or experiences in using PhotoTherapy techniques with groups

Posted by Craig Steinberg on 10/15/2006, 10:22 am, in reply to "Seeking references or experiences in using PhotoTherapy techniques with groups"
71.236.136.161

Hi Yesenia, I have established, and been running, a PhotoTherapy group for the past eight years with children in residential care who have severe abuse and trauma in their backgrounds. It is called the HITEC (Healing Images Through the Eyes of Children) group and involves an 8-week group cycle. I run two versions of the group: a still camera version and a video version. Although the photography modalities of the two groups are different, the premise is the same: to help the children tell their story of their trauma from their eyes, their control, and their perspective, and then to help them move toward healing. The groups are based on a "Past, Present, and Future" timeline format, with the past focusing on the trauma, the present on where the child is currently at in terms of their trauma, and the future involving where the child hopes to be in terms of their healing and recovery in their future. I have done conference presentations on my group, but do not have any articles/chapters/books written on the groups yet. I have observed amazing results from the children's work in these groups over the years. I would be happy to talk more with you about my groups if you like. Cheers, Craig

here's another reference re: using PhotoTherapy techniques with groups

Posted by Judy Weiser, Administrator on 4/26/2007, 9:05 am, in reply to "Seeking references or experiences in using PhotoTherapy techniques with groups"

I have just come across an additional reference re: using photos with groups. I have not read this yet but it appears to actually involve some active PhotoTherapy techniques work and not just only the passive involvement of photos. here's the citation: DeVere, Merav and Rhonne, Ossi. (1991). The use of photographs as a projective and facilitative technique in groups. Groupwork, Vol.4:2, p??. If anyone has this article (or at least knows its page numbers), I would appreciate receiving a fax or scan of it to add to the Library files at the PhotoTherapy Centre (fax number is: 604-633-1505) thanks, Judy (Weiser) jweiser@phototherapy-centre.com Director, PhotoTherapy Centre