Beyond the Smile: The Therapeutic Use of the Photograph

Photographs may be used as an adjunct to many kinds of therapy; in her own practice Linda Berman found that patients often brought photographs of their own accord. This encouraged her to think about what lay behind the photographs in the family album, and how they could best be used to help her patients. This book is an exploration of the meanings of photographs and an examination of the ways in which photographs can enhance the effectiveness of a psychotherapy session. The author focuses on the relationship between the photograph and the self, and stresses the need for the therapist to understand his or her own personal images before approaching those of others. Individual case studies, with appropriate illustrations, show how photographs can highlight the themes within the patient's internal and external worlds. They stimulate new awareness of interactional patterns and illuminate, in a very personal way, how the past influences the present.

`... both informative and a pleasure to read. ... style that is clear and precise ... well-researched book and is packed with interesting and pertinent quotes.' - Lahoots`... virtually un-put-downable ... you will never view your own family album in quite the same way again!' - British Journal of Guidance and Counselling`a clearly presented introduction to an interesting subject' - Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci (1996)