Self Portraits and Healing

William Utermohlen’s self-portraits reveal his descent into dementia over the span of nearly four decades. The accompanying NY Times article can be read here.

In my expressive arts therapy (movement, drawing, writing) training with Anna and Daria Halprin at the Tamalpa Institute, self portraits are introduced as an integral part of the life/art process, at the beginning of the training and at the end.
How we paint or draw ourselves is a creative and symbolic process which can create a dialogue between our psyche and soul. "...the drawing...can contain and express our suffering in ways which help us be with it and move on, finding a healthy way to reintegrate, or live differently with, our wounding experiences" (Halprin, D, p. 179).

Utermohlen's self portraits from 1996-2000: