THE EXPERIENCE OF USING ART THERAPY IN WORK WITH PSY-CHIATRIC PATIENTS

The article describes the experience of using various art-therapeutic technologies in a day hospital psychiatric hospital. A brief review of research and experience in the use of art therapy in psychiatric practice by Russian colleagues. The main purpose of art therapy is the harmonization of mental state through the development of the ability of creative expression and self-knowledge. Features of the art therapeutic ap-proach is the ease of establishing contact with the therapist, constructive work with emotions and feelings, the absence of age and intellectual limitations. Art therapy techniques have a wide range of applications, including in psychiatric practice. Over the past two years, we have been implementing this type of group psychotherapeutic work. Participants of art-therapeutic process are medical psychologist and psychiatric patients suffering from various mental diseases (schizophrenia, manic-depressive psychosis, depressive States, organic brain damage, mental retardation). We set out the conditions for conducting group sessions, the order of inclusion of patients in the group, the principles of selection of art-therapeutic techniques, ways to track performance. The article describes the possibilities and results of the psychologist's work in such areas of group art therapy as visual activity, music therapy, dance therapy, fairy-tale therapy, autogenic training, relaxation. Examples of our patients ' works, with illustrations, a detailed description of the emotional state and self-report of the authors are given. Art therapeutic approach proved to be an effective method of social and psychological rehabilitation of psychiatric patients. Each art therapeutic technique has its own characteristics, advantages and resources. During and after the course of art therapy, both individual and group results are noted by the psychologist and the patients themselves.