Psychology and psychosis

Emerging trends in managing adult psychotic disorders

Adults living with serious and persistent psychotic illness are likely to experience marked and prolonged psychosocial impairment, jeopardising a meaningful and dignified engagement with life. Although in recent years psychotic disorders in youth have received welcome increased attention and funding, the same cannot be said for adult psychotic illnesses. Services for adults remain chronically under-resourced and marked stigmatisation persists. Despite this, the more recent focus on recovery and consumer-based approaches has brought some promising trends in treatment and management, many of which have a psychological focus. This cover feature of InPsych showcases the work of some Australian psychologists involved in emerging approaches to individual and family interventions as well as systemic service delivery changes, which are bringing greater hope and dignity to the lives of people with severe and persisting psychosis. A consumer focus is highlighted as the cover feature opens with the compelling work of an artist living with psychosis (above and front cover) and concludes with cogent personal insights from a psychologist's own experience of psychological treatment for psychosis.

Artist profile

The work that appears above and on the front cover was displayed in an exhibition at The Dax Centre entitled, Art is a saving grace: artists living with psychosis. This work was created by Leslie Holding, who is in his 50s and lives in Melbourne. He has had no formal art training, though his father was an artist and he has had a number of exhibitions at the Prahran Mission. Holding describes his artwork as “modern-casual, abstract” with “no one particular style”. This is reflected in the diversity of themes and approaches found in his paintings, which range from tranquil landscape scenes of the Australian outback to more abstracted compositions that capture the energy of a cricket match or a game of footy.

Artist statement

"I do my art to seek enjoyment on how others find my works pleasing. To satisfy the beholders of my works is the motivation I have while I do art. Most of the time when creating works I ask others of what they think of my works. After some time I also ask how does my artwork make them feel, I hope good."

About the Cunningham Dax Collection

The Cunningham Dax Collection, amassed over a 70 year period, consists of over 15,000 artworks including works on paper, photography, paintings, sculptural work, journals, digital media and video created by people with an experience of mental illness and/or psychological trauma. The Cunningham Dax Collection is part of the Dax Centre. The Dax Centre promotes mental health and wellbeing by fostering a greater understanding of the mind, mental illness and trauma through art and creativity. For more information on the Cunningham Dax Collection, The Dax Centre and to view the online gallery of past exhibitions, visit: www.daxcentre.org