Matteo Oriani
Counselling & Image-based therapy
Image-based Therapy
Mental images are the primary data of the mind. By working with images we can reach deeper levels of the psyche to find transformative insights. This has proven effective to address many psychological issues including PTSD, ADHD, anxiety disorders, depression and to find direction and purpose in life.
What is Image-based therapy?
Image-based therapy offers a versatile and powerful tool for emotional and psychological healing. By leveraging the power of visual expression, it can help individuals to communicate, process emotions, and achieve greater mental well-being as part of a broader therapeutic approach.
Images can provide deep insights into a person’s existential situation and emotional life which are often extremely revealing. If we pay attention to images, we can become aware of aspects of ourselves and our life that were previously oblivious.
Insights from images often have a strong transformational power, affecting the way we think and feel. Images can unlock and move something deeper within us, that cannot be reached by words.
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Image- based therapy has its origins in the psychological theories of Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961), a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who was a promient figure in the early devlopment of analytical psychology together with Sigmund Freud. He later diverged from Sigmund Freud to develop his own theories focussing on images, archetypes and symbols.
How it works?
Assisted by the therapist, the client might start by focusing on a dream image, emotion, or spontaneous mental image. They then allow the image or figure to "speak" or evolve, engaging with it through questions, dialogue, or creative expression. The process often leads to insights about unconscious patterns, desires, or fears.
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Active Imagination is distinct from passive daydreaming because it involves a conscious, intentional engagement with the unconscious material. It is a powerful tool for self-exploration and personal growth.
Key Aspects
Engaging the Unconscious. image-based therapy allows individuals to consciously engage with images, symbols, and figures that arise from the unconscious, such as those found in dreams, fantasies, or spontaneous mental imagery.
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Dialogue with Inner Figures. In this process, a person interacts with inner figures or symbols (e.g., archetypes, dream characters, or emotions) as if they were real entities. This can involve writing, drawing, or even speaking aloud to these figures.
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Bridging Conscious and Unconscious. The goal is to integrate unconscious material into conscious awareness, fostering greater self-understanding and psychological wholeness.
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Creative and Meditative Process. Active Imagination is both a creative and meditative practice. It requires a relaxed, open state of mind where the individual allows images and thoughts to emerge without censorship or excessive control.
Tools and Techniques
I blend a set of tools and image-based techniques from Psychosynthesis and Jungian psychologies.
Pre-defined setting guided imagery. A guided imaginary journey using a predefined setting designed to explore specific aspects relevant to the client's life. I guide the client in a safe and assisted exploration of the imaginal landscape and in grounding the experience to drive insights for life.
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Spontaneous guided imagery. Often images arise spontaneously in talking therapy. In such cases, I guide the client in exploring her image to increase awareness and receive insights.
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Dream work. Dreams are symbolic narratives produced directly by the unconscious. There are many ways to work with dreams in therapy, from re-imagining them in an assisted modality, to supporting the client driving their personal interpretations.
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Drawing. Drawing symbols for emotional experiences can help process them and increase awareness. Free drawing can be a way to express emotional states that can hardly be put into words and to foster creativity. I always have drawing material in my therapy room, ready to capture impressions and work creatively.