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Art as a Defence Mechanism Against Creativity
Author(s) -
Mann David
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
british journal of psychotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1752-0118
pISSN - 0265-9883
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-0118.1990.tb01314.x
Subject(s) - creativity , psychology , resistance (ecology) , painting , subject (documents) , mechanism (biology) , expression (computer science) , process (computing) , psychoanalysis , cognitive science , psychotherapist , epistemology , social psychology , visual arts , art , computer science , ecology , philosophy , library science , biology , programming language , operating system
. This paper takes clinical examples to explore the idea that paintings made during the course of therapy may be used by the client's defence mechanisms so that the picture and picture‐making process are utilised against expression of creativity. It is argued that art is not inherently creative but is subject to the same processes of resistance and defence as encountered in other areas of the client's life and therapy. Some of the literature is reviewed followed by clinical examples. The conclusion drawn is that once resistance has been interpreted new layers of creativity become available to the client.