Images that Empower: Refocusing the Use of Photography in Mental Health

Photography is routinely used to expose the dark side of mental illness and mental health care. Even when the intentions are good, the voyeuristic results portray patients and their settings as alien or frightening. In contrast, we use photography to reflect successful treatment, a theme too often absent from the discourse about mental health care and nearly unseen in the 125 plus years of photography related to mental illness. A sample of patients and staff who participated in a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, R34 MH074640-01A2) was photographed by the two authors. The purpose of the photographs was to create a visual record of the positive outcomes experienced by the patients receiving services at community mental health agencies (CMHAs). Portraits and quotes from the photo sessions offer a counter perspective to the broadly negative impression the general public has of mental health services.