Therapeutic Photography with Whitney Gabhart, ND
www.jospence.com Joe Spence is a british photographer who is the founder of Therapeutic Photography . . .along with Terry Dennett. Terry is the curator of the Jo Spence archives. Together we have created the above website.
Would you like to learn Therapeutic Photography?
My program which includes a manual, DVD, book, forms and questionaires; everything you need to begin Therapeutic Photography. There are no other programs or courses available in Therapeutic Photography such as mine. Many have contacted me in regards to learning my methods. Therefore I have created a comphrehensive TP program enabling others to duplicate my work in Therapeutic Photography.
Have you wanted to incorporate Therapeutic Photography into your existing counseling practice or start your own Therapeutic Photography businessThe cost is $729.95, plus shipping. Contact me with your questions at: drggabhart@yahoo.com or 812.259.0243
-Dr. Gabhart
Article links to some of the historical aspects of therapeutic photography.
Therapeutic Photography: A Self Witness
Every photograph has a story but no one knows the story better than the subject. 
Pictures are more powerful than words: in many ways they can witness and attest to feelings that are not able to be articulated. This is one of the foundational values of Therapeutic Photography.
The photographs communicate you to your self and assist in explaining that self. The photographs can and do replace false beliefs about yourself, enhancing and building self-esteem.
In therapy, truth and reality is a foundational goal; however, when the client owns a fractured and/or false self identity the outcome is generally poor or less than optimal. The client may intellectually understand the treatment therapy, even trying to embrace it but is unable to do sot for a lack of a healthy self identity. This is most evident in individuals with eating disorders and distortions regarding body image due to an illness, trauma, or simply our cultures unhealthy ideals of beauty.
A photograph has layers of meaning imbedded to the viewer, and when words are unable to be brought to the surface by any other means of therapy, Therapeutic Photography has proven to be an effective tool.
Therapeutic Photography is a tool for clinicians and relevant in a multitude of disorders. It addresses the foundational core of the individual where he or she construct a self identity. It is here one may bond to himself or herself and gain the platform of needed self-acceptance. Until one accepts oneself in benevolence, they are unlikely to gain complete resolution from the best of therapies.
In some ways Therapeutic Photography is primal in application. The client and I revert to a world of pictures and feelings, and only then as in Cartier-Bresson’s decisive moment, do we work through specific exercises, attaching words to images and feelings.
I have been asked, “ How does taking someone’s picture change them? ” First, I do not take the picture . . . the photograph gives itself. The essence that lives in each of us rises to the moment and my lens simply records and celebrates that moment. No two sessions are the same. I allow the individual to lead the direction in the shoot, acknowledging the dignity and honor of being allowed to enter this window of closeness with the soul‘s essence. While it is not a glamour shoot it has taken on the appearance of one. Some sessions must have multiple captions . . .some only one. Only the outcome is consistent, people are changed by the experience.
"Working in Contemplative Journalistic black and white photography, I found it was
imperative to capture within one photograph, or in a short series of photos, what I call the essential essence of the person. The difference between a studio taking a professional portrait, and my work in Therapeutic Photography, is my work seeks to capture your soul's essence, not simply record your outer image. My work is embedded with many layers of meaning. These images help women get in touch with themselves in a very tangible way, in black and white."
"When we are not our own advocate, our interior world can leave us feeling very alone . . .despite being surrounded with a busy, and people intense exterior world . . ."
"Below is the capture of a patient n black and white. Sometime's we turn our back on ourselves . . ."
"In America we don’t need Afghan-style burquas to disappear as women." We disappear in reverse—from the inside out. Disclaiming our souls and bodies to meet externally imposed visions of female beauty."
Dr. Whitney Gabhart, Therapeutic Photographer