[Therapeutic mediation through the self-portrait: examining the self through the eyes of others]

Art is used as a form of mediation in care units. In addition to its benefit as an occupational activity, it is rooted in the tangible which can help combat apragmatism and anxiety.While this practice helps patients give meaning to their existence, the group approach and the help of a therapist form part of personalised care projects. Work around the self-portrait is an illustration of this practice, between the occupational and the therapeutic.

[Occupational activities or therapeutic activities, a complex distinction]

The distinction between therapeutic activities and occupational activities seems obvious. On what is this difference based? How can we predict whether an activity will or will not be therapeutic? Using the question of the meaning of our activities as a basis, we can consider what care in psychiatry entails.