Wednesday 25th February 4.00-5.00pm  

“The Gold in Our Scars: Kintsugi as an Art Therapy Intervention in Forensic Mental Health” 

Kintsugi, meaning “golden joinery,” is a Japanese art form in which broken pottery is repaired with precious metals. Rather than disguising cracks, it highlights them as part of the object’s history, creating beauty through visible repair. This approach offers a meaningful metaphor for forensic mental health, where individuals often feel defined by trauma, offending, and stigma. Honouring these “cracks” as part of a person’s narrative can support a shift from perceived brokenness toward resilience and renewed identity. 

This seminar will explore how Kintsugi can inform art therapy practice in forensic settings. The emphasis on repair parallels art therapy’s ability to externalise internal experiences, regulate affect, and support narrative reconstruction through creative processes. By working with materials that are broken, mended, and transformed, clients can engage with themes of continuity, change, and self‑worth. For those whose lives have been shaped by adversity and marginalisation, Kintsugi‑inspired art‑making offers a powerful, dignity‑affirming framework for therapeutic engagement and psychological integration. Although the talk will discuss Kintsugi as part of an art therapy intervention, it hoped that it will have relevance for practitioners working more widely with service users experiencing psychosis.