What can I do with my love of art and psychology?

I was a psychology student because I am deeply interested in clinical psychology and research. but I left the university to pursue art, which is also a love of my life. I now have a degree in Fine Art, but have never lost my love of psychology, and lately I have been really missing it. I recently began volunteering as an art teacher at my local psychiatric hospital with teenagers suffering from their first psychotic break. I love it. I want to know how to mesh my love of art with my love of psychology. I know most people would say: Art Therapy! But I'm looking for more alternatives. I love the clinical and research aspects of psychology more then the strictly therapeutic aspects, although I do believe that therapy is a cornerstone of healing. I would love to hear from anyone in art and/or psychology. Please feel free to be creative. I will use these answers to continue my research into this subject.

What can I do with my love of art and psychology?
How about research into the cognitive processes involved in responding to art? Look into aesthetics, a branch of philosophy. Combining psychology, art and aesthetics could be an interesting interdisciplinary exploration. And besides, you can't leave this to the psychological heathens who have no sense for art. It may be difficult to get funding, but maybe the NEA might show some interest.
Reply:Moving into other areas besides therapy...


there are neuropsych protocols which assess verbal and semantic fluency (correlated with frontal and temporal processes).





They have developed a figural fluency test but I don't think anybody has looked at possible associations between visual fluency and artistic talent.
Reply:Art Therapy is supposed to be wonderful for young children up on into early adolescence.
Reply:really depends how many responsibilities you have at teh moment, whether you need a paying job or can look at further study...


look into research opportunities at your local university within the psychology dept or think about a masters in that area or see if there are any research posts... you could design your own project and go for funding to research it...





i don't know where you are but have a look at this site and maybe get in touch with them to talk because they are doing amazing stuff there and maybe they could give you ideas


http://www.artists-in-mind.org.uk/
Reply:Draw people in the Clinics, expressing the emotions felt by them or Use psychology to make people do beautiful and artistic things. Like Derren Brown. http://youtube.com/watch?v=wlp6jIR0x14
Reply:Art therapy. I believe it is used to council children who have been abused or abandoned.
Reply:Well, there's research.





Pursue your psych studies and go into research in the field of psychology, regarding art.





It could be into better understanding art therapy, or just understanding more about the psychology of art.

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