Photography was first used in psychiatry by Dr. Hugh Diamond in 1856. In contrast to diagnostic tests that present multiple images to the patient for assessing psychological distress (such as the Rorschach test, TAT, etc.), photography is utilized by many psychiatrists and psychotherapists as a therapeutic tool (Walker, 1982). Nowadays, photographs are widely used in a field of psychotherapy known as phototherapy.

Phototherapy has its roots in areas of psychology and science such as Gestalt and Existential Psychology, communication and perception theories, linguistics, anthropology, and more (Weiser, 1975). Phototherapy is an open process that allows access to issues from the past that may not be reached through conventional counseling methods that rely exclusively on verbal communication (Weiser, 1983).

Phototherapy focuses on using an individual’s subjective experiences. It provides a way for the therapist and the client to explore the photographs taken by the client and opens up different avenues in the realms of non-verbal and visual communication. Interpretations made by the individual regarding the images in the photographs promote emotional experiences that may be absent in traditional “verbal therapy.”

Images help individuals relax and release suppressed emotions that are difficult to express. By using photography as a vehicle, individuals begin to approach, discover, and communicate feelings and memories that may have been buried for years and issues that require analysis or resolution (Weiser, 2008).