Art Therapy for the Psychological Well-Being of a Visual Artist Experiencing Depression : A Qualitative Case Study

This study explores the experience of art therapy for the psychological well-being of a visual artist experiencing depression. Participant of this study is a 37-years-old visual artist experiencing depression. Total 8 sessions of 60 minutes art therapy was conducted from July 15, 2024 to September 2, 2024. All sessions were recorded, artworks were photographed, and a in-depth interviews were conducted. From data analysis, 5 major themes and 13 sub-themes were identified, leading to the following conclusions. First, the participant explored her inner self by immersing herself in art in a different way as an artist. Second, the participant reconnected with her identity as an artist discovering the meaning of her visual language. Third, the participant integrated her identity as an artist and found meaning in life from a flexible perspective. The significant of this study lies in its detailed presentation of the process through which a visual artist experiencing depression recovers psychological well-being through art therapy.