Softer: Looking for oxytocin in art therapy

Abstract

Mentalising-based therapy approaches have advanced understanding of the role of the attachment system as a mechanism of change in verbal therapy. This paper outlines a neurobiological basis of attachment and identifies a comparative deficit in mentalising theory concerning the same in group art therapy. This highlights how problems of practice description for group art therapy might impact negatively on the potential for a future practice-congruent neurobiological sampling strategy. The paper details an exploratory experiment art therapists conducted on themselves using observational research methodology as a way of starting to address this deficit. Moments of trust were identified in art therapy as points where oxytocin may be activated. The interpersonal actions involving art-objects that facilitated those moments were then analysed as recorded on video. Mentalising through art-objects in a group appeared to involve a complex division of labour between participants but resulted in identified moments of therapeutic action. It is proposed that the description of this might form the basis for future neurobiological sampling and theorisation.