Body art therapy and self-portraiture as a new branch of psychotherapy.
G.Arakelova
National Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Medical Psychology

Psychotherapeutic treatment of neurosis is very important and difficulty solved problem in psychotherapy. We based on the idea of psychotherapy of the neurotic cases by the reconstruction of self-perception in whole by means of reconstructions of body self-perception.
The main aim of the research is the investigation of effects of art therapeutic methods of body art therapy and sculptural self-portraiture on the group of the neurotic patients (13 patients with different forms of neurosis: F44 (hysteric neurosis) - 8 patients; F48 (neurasthenia) – 3 patients; F32.1 (depressive neurosis) – 1 patients; F40.2 (phobic neurosis) – 1 patients).
At our sub-faculty in the specially equipped study-studio we have the practical usage of self-portrait and body art therapy psychotherapeutic technique. The self-portrait – is the art therapeutic methods of creating the self-portrait by means of sculptural plasticine, done by the patient himself. Some of patients were treated by means of body art therapy. Patients made their self-portrait in front of the mirror under the psychotherapist guidance. The technique let us fall the strain in the therapist-patient dialogue, created favorable conditions for long, non-traumatic clinical observation of the patients, while creating to reveal actual experiences, to realize personal approach in psychotherapeutic work. The process of recreating his image in sculpture not only more fully opens essence of patient’s pathological experience, but it also assists to understand his personal peculiarities, to re-estimate his personality. As we held this work in the group of open type, while sculpturing the self-portrait in the atmosphere of co-creation, co-studying. The awareness and correction of pathological behavioral patterns, widening of communicating possibilities become easier. Otherwise, the distorted self-awareness of body corrected in the process of work over the self-portrait, and besides that all the components of self-perception influenced on. Besides its specific tasks, the self-portrait carries out the functions of traditional art-therapy and work-therapy. In the process of creative work, the following work habits restored - the concentrating of attention, perseverance, memory, and the small differential movements. In sculpturing process of self-portrait the safe structures realized, the “healthy” beginning of psychic becomes active – the principle of rehabilitation is working.
The body art-therapy is one of the art-therapy methods too. Psychotherapist paints patient’s face or whole body. The main aim of this method is to change patient’s stereotype about his image. The new image is like a mask, which safes him, and he is able to share his secret emotion free and in a relaxed manner.
The results of treatment were investigated by means of clinical methods and it was established: in 7 cases - completely recоvеred; in 4 cases – significantly improved, and in 2 cases - treatment without any effect.
The results of the investigation brought clearly out high effectiveness of psychotherapeutic technique mentioned above in the neurotic disorders treatment. The research brought us to the conclusion, that the reconstruction of self-perception includes body's self-perception leads to overcoming of neurotic symptoms and assists to increase of social self-actualization.