Artistic intersubjective technologies: a multidisciplinary approach to psychosocial rehabilitation group-work
Creators: name: O'Beirne, Lisa
Publisher: name: RMIT University
Year: 2024

description: The study explored the merits of employing a multidisciplinary approach to group work for psychosocial rehabilitation. The main question guiding the study was: What are the practical and research implications of combining arts-based and narrative therapy approaches for group work in a Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support day-program? This inquiry was prompted by the perceived need for creative and inclusive approaches to exploring socio-emotional issues of living with psychiatric illnesses.<br><br>The methodology incorporated poststructural theories, reflexive research, ethnographic drama, song writing and arts therapies to collaboratively construct and present a musical puppet pantomime titled Poor People: Rich Lives, with PDRS members. The performances were recorded on DVD and other data were generated from discussions with the audience after the performances and the group members throughout the project development. <br><br>The study locates the national position of psychosocial rehabilitation within a global setting and explores contemporary understandings of ‘recovery’, ‘wellbeing’, ‘disability’ and ‘support’. International and local arts-based and narrative therapy mental health projects are outlined, in order to explore practices of ‘intervention’, ‘meaningful participation’, ‘peer support’ ‘social worth’ and ‘self-worth’ within such projects.<br><br>Analysis of the data indicated changes in the group members’ subjectivity; in how they perceived themselves and their positions within their community. They ceased describing themselves as being psychiatrically disabled and came to view themselves respectively as artists, performers and friends, able to try new things and achieve changes in their lives. Emergent issues identified by the group members and explored through the artistic processes were isolation, anxiety, self-consciousness, paranoia, companionship, confidence, motivation, emotions and change. <br><br>The reflexive analysis highlighted the suitability and significance of the artistic approaches to group work for people living with psychiatric illnesses. Compassion was articulated in the songwriting and storytelling and echoed throughout the group and audience members’ comments about the songs, the story and the performances. The pantomime project enabled members to gain a sense of acceptance, understanding and belonging from other members of the day-program community. In doing so, the various dimensions of the project assisted in addressing some of the group members’ issues they had identified. <br><br>Practical implications were found in the artistic exploration and communication of socio-emotional issues, while research implications relate to the adoption of resource efficient, inclusive and flexible research strategies. This study proposes the emergence of a new category of discursive practice: artistic intersubjective technologies; that serve to generate knowledge of ‘self and other’ awareness. The findings also implicate possibilities for improving community education strategies and professional development of PDRS staff to generate practice-based research within already existing arts programs.<br><br>The methodology may be applied to other community program situations such as cultural reconciliation projects, new migrant and other community groups wanting to develop a sense of identity, trauma recovery, intervention groups for drug and alcohol and addictions. There are also methodological implications for mental health education with young people and assisting learning in the disability sector - for clients groups with complex communication needs, language deficit and social awareness limitations such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder.<br>