ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author focuses on lesbian, gay, and bisexual sexualities. She argues that the medium of art in psychotherapy can offer a particularly valuable language for exploration of the theme of sex and sexualities in the art therapeutic relationship. She provides importance in art therapy of attending to the unique meanings which are associated with sexuality for each individual. Sexualities and sexual identities emerge in diverse ways and hold more or less importance at different times in individuals’ lives. Classical psychoanalytic theorizing, in contrast, continues to conceive of sexuality in terms of early developmental stages, claiming that heterosexuality is more “natural” or “healthy” than lesbian, gay or bisexual sexualities. In “language” the author include the spoken, gestural, and visual since, of course, even where visual imagery is not specifically encouraged as in art psychotherapy, it is manifest throughout all of psychoanalystic discourses.
