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Using images to
capture and share
service users’
spirituality
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This article explores some of the images and words that service users choose to capture and represent their unique
spirituality. It was written using material that service users produced as part of two projects focusing on spirituality and
hope. The first project involved a group where service users were given a camera to capture something that represented
their spirituality. The second project involved producing material for an art exhibition entitled Growing Hope, that was
showcased in Sheffield as part of World Mental Health Day 2009.
The article is written by Hazel Bryce, an occupational therapist working in an assertive outreach team (SORT) in Sheffield,
and Lorraine, a service user who worked on the two projects and who has an interest in spirituality. They reflect
together on the process of being involved in the projects and the meaning of this piece of work. The article was written
together to try to capture a range of perspectives.
12 A life in the day Volume 13 Issue 4 November 2009 © Pier Professional Ltd
Using images to capture and share service users’ spirituality
understanding and acknowledging what gives people I kept my stone in a special place, and added to
hope, it can be used and drawn upon throughout life it a stone from Iona that Chrissie [SORT worker]
and in times of difficulty. As a service, understanding brought back for me. Since then I have collected
people’s spirituality helps us to support people better. a few special stones. They represent my Christian
The concept of ‘spirituality’ for this project and article faith as they are solid, pleasant to feel and look at,
is taken to be ‘what gives your life hope and meaning’. firm and indestructible.’
Use of images
I became interested in different modes of representing and
expressing spirituality, especially using images, metaphors,
and photography. Creativity is linked to spirituality. In our
NHS Trust leaflet, spirituality is described as:
Images and metaphors are a form of self-expression, going into God’s peaceful, eternal rest and sleep.’
which can be used to represent concepts that cannot
easily be described. Images have been used to
represent spirituality widely over the years, from icons
in the Orthodox Church to stained glass windows.
Some of the best known painters such as Michelangelo,
and Leonardo da Vinci use religion and spirituality as
their inspiration. This art is challenging and intriguing,
full of the extraordinary mystery of faith, portraying
2. Picture © Dick Twinney
complex symbolism. These works can calm the senses
and inspire the soul, connecting people to their
spiritual side (Davis, 2005).
Within different cultures, people learn to associate 3. Reservoir
specific visual images with meanings (Banks, 2001). I
encouraged service users to find their own meanings in ‘When I think of God I think of the light
the images that they captured. The images demonstrate reflecting off the lake.’
a combination of people’s own unique meanings, and
of societies commonly held perceptions. These have
shaped and influenced the service users’ choice of
images. When considering the images, it was important
for me to take a step back and acquire a broader
perspective, being aware of how I was interpreting the
images according to my own experience.
3. Reservoir
Images
Here are a selection of the images produced by service
users with explanations.
4. Stone
1. Stone
‘It makes me feel safe and reminds me of the
This stone represents my spiritual life. I chose it
group.’
out of a bowl when I was on an organised day
retreat with the Chaplin at Northern General
Hospital. We were asked to choose a stone. I was
so impressed by Holy Rood House that I made
further enquiries and went to stay there on a
residential retreat. There I met the two vicars and
other friendly staff who worked there. I went there
at least once a year for a week and took friends
there and made new friends. I took Maisy [my dog] 4. Stone
and she was a much loved guest in the house too.
A life in the day Volume 13 Issue 4 November 2009 © Pier Professional Ltd 13
Using images to capture and share service users’ spirituality
Poems
Two users wrote poetry about what hope encompasses understood. Lorraine described the value of the visual
for them and then inserted images to capture the as allowing her to say things that she cannot easily put
essence of the poems. Above is one of them by into words:
Lorraine, called My road along life.
‘By taking an image/photo, it allowed me to
Evaluation better understand what gives me hope now and
This project opened my eyes to the value of explaining in the future. Talking to others and listening to
complex phenomenon using images and metaphors. others enabled me to better understand others,
It helped me to understand service users’ spirituality and relate to their pictures, it made me feel
better, and how to provide more appropriate support accepted.’
at times of distress. By discussing and sharing the
images as part of a group, it connected people to each She felt very encouraged and hopeful:
other, making service users feel not as alone, and more
14 A life in the day Volume 13 Issue 4 November 2009 © Pier Professional Ltd
Using images to capture and share service users’ spirituality
‘Understanding my spirituality better made me the process involved in taking them, the individual
feel happier, and more able to draw upon that learning, and the shared belonging that was created by “By exploring
resource. I feel that it is very important for talking about the images.
workers to understand service users’ spirituality,
images, service
and provide support in this area in times of Future work? users can gain
distress.’ This was a small piece of work, and we would like
understanding,
to explore how other phenomena can be captured
Other comments included: and understood through using images. We would connect
also like to see how people’s images of spirituality with others,
‘Looking at the picture that we took gives me change according to their stage in recovery, and
hope.’ further explore the use of images with poetry. The and have a
individuals and the group would like to continue to reminder of
‘I had forgotten about the stones, finding them capture and discuss images that have significance and
an image to
again I have re-established a bond with them, meaning for them.
making me want to treasure them. I have been Overall, we feel that images can be used and draw upon
reminded several times of positive memories explored widely within a variety of contexts, to capture throughout
and drawn strength from the stones.’ and explain complex ideas. By exploring images,
service users can gain understanding, connect with their lives.”
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Reflections about the others, and have a reminder of an image to draw upon
process throughout their lives.
Capturing images was a new concept to many of
the service users. They required encouragement to References
focus on the images, and not to be overly concerned Banks M (2001) Visual Methods in Social Research. London:
about the quality of the images that were produced Sage.
and their photography skills. Service users had to be
Davis J (2005) Sacred Art. Hampshire: Jarold Publishing.
comfortable in sharing the images and this may have
influenced the photos taken. Time and location were Mental Health Foundation (2008) Need 2 Know. Executive
factors in what images could be captured; this was Briefing: Spirituality and mental health. London: Mental
especially true with the poems. Health Foundation.
Reflexivity is vital in any area of work and especially
Pink S (2001) Doing Visual Ethnography: Images, media and
when using and interpreting images (Pink, 2001). Did
representation in research. London: Sage.
service users produce images that they thought would
be easily displayed and that would please me? Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust
I have learned through this project that it is not (2008) Exploring Spiritual and Faith Needs. Sheffield:
predominately about the images that were created but Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust.
Lorraine is a service user who worked on this project and has an interest in spirituality.
A life in the day Volume 13 Issue 4 November 2009 © Pier Professional Ltd 15