Events

Imagery and symbolism are essential guiding components in the fabric of life. Images arise spontaneously on multiple levels, permeating our experience, guiding our choices, and shaping our lives. These images contain a wealth of symbolic content that is all but invisible to most people within contemporary Western Culture. For in this culture, symbolic and imaginal experiences are often dismissed as “merely subjective” or “imaginary”. The loss of the ability to symbolize and to engage images in a meaningful way creates a void that may be seen in the lives of our patients and from which much human suffering may spring. Such maladies as addictions, eating disorders, obsessions and compulsions, relationship, and mood disturbances may carry forward in symptomatic form, a symbolic content. Clinicians will find their practice enhanced through increased awareness of how to engage effectively within the imaginal and symbolic realm as these manifest in their clinical experience.

This intensive continuing education program is designed to help clinicians extend the reach of their therapeutic approach by engaging the symbolic and the imaginal within the clinical setting and to assist patients in accessing and utilizing their own inner resources. The presenters will provide an orientation to a range of basic to more sophisticated approaches to the phenomenon of imagery and symbolism in patient artwork, dreams, fantasy, and clinical circumstance. Art- and image-based interventions will be demonstrated that will increase sensitivity to, and receptiveness of, symbolic communication between patient and clinician as well as between the patient’s symptoms and circumstance. The presenters will provide case examples and illustrate techniques that may help to amplify awareness, and engagement, of content that often otherwise remains inaccessible.

12 hours of NBCC CEC's available # 6302