Dear readers!
The 3rd edition of “Art in psychology” almanac is devoted to the results of analytical and empiric research in the frame of international scientific and philosophical project, “Ontology of self-regulation”.

For 6 months specialists from Bulgaria and Russia in the fields of ontology, phenomenology, hermeneutics, philosophy and psychology of arts, arts therapy and psychotherapy have carried out joint experiments in what way the psychic state of an individual, who permanently goes through a stressful situation, may be affected by arts (artistic images).

In the analytical research and the prolonged experiment representatives from academic schools in philosophy, science and arts have taken part. They are Doc., PhD Valeri Lichev, PhD Nikolina Deleva, PhD Liliya Sazonova, PhD Mina Spasova, PhD Snejanka Stoianova, Prof., Dr. Peter Tzanev, PhD Margarita Bozhilova-Andonova, Prof., Dr. Yevgeniy Cherniy, Prof., Dr. Viktor Samokhvalov, Prof., Dr. Alexander Andreyev, Yulia Andreyeva and the author of this article.

The goal of the research is to create and realize such approaches and forms of work with objects of arts which, on the one side, would allow a subject to express feelings and thoughts conveying destructive experiences, for example, an ambiguity state and fears. On the other side, due to creativity they would allow a person to reveal new creative possibilities to relieve stress, decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression, which are caused by uncertainty of the social process.

We strongly believe that a person who is aware of oneself and goal-seeking in search of humanistic senses is able not only to overcome hardships but in spite of deadlock is able to acquire new knowledge about oneself and the environment and become more perfect and vigorous.

There is no doubt that art is the very instrument, which can help an individual. Although the heart of art is still veiled for rational thinking, art through penetration of images into consciousness and unconsciousness is able to improve ability to deal with an aggressive environment, stimulate motivation which should lead to a better understanding who we are.

Thereby comprehending the essence of image, we are deeply penetrating into the content of our unconsciousness what cannot be identified with the language of rational logics. With closer investigation we should recognize that arts therapy is not only the approach to reduce pain and relieve stress. The artwork can be used as a fascinating game of imagination, though. However, arts therapy can provide significant insights into personal mental improvement, expansion of the mind and self-awareness.

So as reflections of our senses and feelings we are considered to be an object of research. Being born inside us, images as our unconsciousness projections what is still left something vague but intuitively recognized become the objects of our analysis and action.

On the base of the results of the first stage of research that proved efficiency of wellness influence of artistic images on holistic state of a person we have worked out a solution to initiate an international theoretical and practical laboratory, “Mental health of a person in terms of permanent uncertainty”, in the frame of which research of mental health will be carried on with arts therapy approach.

Prof., Dr. Vladimir Nikitin