What is therapeutic photography?

“Support” – Janice Green, Project Participant

Therapeutic photography is the act of using photography to gain insight and promote healing. The benefits of therapeutic photography often come more from the process of thinking about and taking the photo than the actual final photograph. Therefore, the goal isn’t a “perfect” photo, the goal is to gain awareness about oneself and one’s life situation. There are no rules or judgment in the process. There are no “good” or “bad” photos. A photograph is all about the the meaning one gives it. This is how therapeutic photography is healing; one choose’s what has meaning for themselves. One decides what they need to express. Someone else might look at the exact same photograph and it would mean something completely different to them. Saying that though, other people’s reactions and interpretations often provide further valuable learning, insight and validation.

Therapeutic photography is a reflective and mindful process. We slow down, focus on the present moment, open up to our soul and then allow what we need to express to come out in the form of a photograph. Sometimes these photos will be literal photos of our current experience, self, surroundings and other times one finds photographing an object around can symbolically convey their feelings and experience best.

Therapeutic photography is an inward approach that allows one to explore and express feelings often not possible with words, traditional talk therapy or even compared to other forms of art therapy. Therapeutic photography often works well in conjunction with these other types of therapy and can also be used in combination with other tools such as journalling. One needs no photography experience to start experiencing the benefits of this practice. Insight and healing await you, start FOCUSSING now.