History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology Commons^™

S E L F: A Visual Study Of Dissociation, Bear Cooper, Sheila Goloborotko

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Experiencing prolonged sexual abuse can lead to a shift in the sense of self as the mind tries to protect itself. Depression, low self-esteem, guilt –– these are all symptoms we frequently hear associated with the aftermath of trauma. They are mentioned enough that we consider ourselves familiar with them. However, symptoms like depersonalization and alexithymia are symptoms not commonly understood. This visual study examines these dissociatve symptoms by looking at the separation of the body and mind that occurs after sexual trauma. S e l f is an etching-based creative research to understand these psychological aspects of processing sexual …