Photography as Therapy: A Feminist Lens on Healing Through Art

Framing the Self in a Fractured World. Photography can be therapy—a way to merge feminist resistance with personal healing. Through the lens, individuals can reclaim their agency, challenge oppressive narratives, and rebuild their fractured identities.

Feminist Art Therapy — Principles

Rejecting the “Broken Subject” Narrative

Feminist art therapy offers a refreshing departure from traditional mental health frameworks that often pathologize marginalized voices. Instead of viewing individuals as “broken,” this approach emphasizes empowerment, intersectionality, and collective healing. According to feministart.ca, this form of therapy recognizes the importance of non-verbal expression and champions diverse experiences, paving the way for personal and community resilience.

Photography’s Role in Decoding Trauma

Through self-portraiture and staged photography, marginalized individuals can externalize and internalize societal critiques, using their own bodies as archives. This method allows for the reclamation of bodily autonomy, especially in the aftermath of trauma. Photography as therapy becomes a powerful medium to express and explore deeper emotional landscapes, enabling healing and understanding.

From Object to Author

Women and non-binary photographers have the opportunity to rewrite visual narratives historically dominated by patriarchal perspectives. By taking control of the lens, they shift from being objects in photographs to becoming authoritative voices. Artists like Cindy Sherman have paved the way for contemporary feminist therapeutic practices, showing how photography can challenge societal norms and reclaim identities.

“I Am Here”: Photography as Testimony in Oppressive Systems

Many survivors use photography to document erased experiences, such as those related to domestic violence or racialized trauma. These visual stories act as powerful testaments to resilience and strength. By embracing photography as therapy, individuals challenge the systemic silence surrounding their narratives, transforming personal pain into a public declaration of existence.

Building a Feminist Photography Practice

Exercises to Begin

• Start by shooting your shadow as a metaphor for repressed pain, exploring what lies beneath the surface.
• Create a collage of self-portraits using textures that represent societal labels you wish to challenge.