Can Family Portraits Boost Mental Health?
Can Family Portraits Boost Mental Health?
Did you know that displaying portraits in the home can improve the mental health of your family? I was surprised when I stumbled upon this article citing studies showing a direct connection between photography and a child's improved self-esteem or understanding of family worth. However, as I read on, it made a lot of sense!
David Krauss, a licensed psychologist from Cleveland and proponent of family health through meaningful photography, explains,
“I think it is really important to show a family as a family unit. It is so helpful for children to see themselves as a valued and important part of that family unit. ”
Another psychologist named Judy Weiser, in Vancouve,r who studies the effects of art and photography, says,
"It lets children learn who they are and where they fit...the uniqueness of their own family and its story."
Cathy Lander-Goldber, as a social worker in St. Louis, found;
“Displaying photos prominently in the home sends the message that our family and those in it are important to one another, and we honor the memories we have experienced.“
Simply put, family portraits communicate a powerful message that resonates to the core of every child's being. "I belong."
In our experience as a photography business, we have found all this to be true! Often, past clients let us know how important the family portraits have become to them. Fathers admit that when they get home from work and the first thing they see is the family in the big portrait above the couch, it puts their whole evening into perspective. Mothers have secretly caught glimpses of their children studying the family image. There is also nothing like the pride a mother feels when guests in her home notice the family art because they immediately understand what is most important in this household.
When was the last time you updated your family portraits?
What message are you sending to your family members?
We can't stop them from growing up, but we can preserve a special moment that will live forever! Bring home the family memories as art, it's time to make a statement about what is most precious in your life. Together, we can create emotional memories that live on as personalized works of art on your wall.
Learn more about the psychology of portraits…
Phototherapy: A First Attempt to Consider the use of Photographs in Art Therapy by Mark Wheeler
What your home says about you by Dr. Linda Papadopoulos