"PhotoTherapy Techniques: Exploring the Secrets of Personal Snapshots and Family Albums" is the most comprehensive introduction to the field of PhotoTherapy available. Emphasizing the "what", "why", and "how" of these practical techniques, this book has long been considered an excellent substitute for a training workshop!
Written by Canadian psychologist, art therapist, consultant, trainer, and PhotoTherapy pioneer Judy Weiser, this book (now in second edition) explains and demonstrates each of the major techniques involved, and provides theoretical rationale from both psychology and art therapy contexts. It also includes many photo-illustrated client examples, case transcripts, and practical experiential "starter" exercises so that readers can immediately begin using these techniques in their own practice.
This book is about photography as "personally-symbolic communication", rather than "art" -- exploring what a photograph is about emotionally, in addition to what shows on its surface visually. Thus these techniques require no previous experience with cameras or photographic art -- and they can therefore be used successfully by therapists of all theoretical orientations, work settings, or client specializations.
Often used as a text for university courses as well as for "Continuing Education" licensing credits for numerous mental health professions, this book is a "must" for not only therapists and counselors, but also anyone interested in coaching, personal development, art therapy, social change, diversity training, conflict resolution, special education, community development, visual literacy, visual anthropology/sociology, visual-based research, and even scrapbooking!
Though long-considered a "classic" for teaching how to use photos in people-helping work, this book is still even more relevant in this "digital age" of mobile phone pictures and online sharing (because it is about the "heart part" of these images rather than their "art part!"!) -- and thus not at all dependent upon which kind of technology created them!
*For more information, see her Website "PhotoTherapy & Therapeutic Photography Techniques", at: www.phototherapy-centre.com
