‘(Un)dressing the Self: Working with dress on concepts of self in therapeutic settings’ (PhD working title)

University of the Arts London Supervisors: Dr Agnès Rocamora and Professor Caroline Evans

This PhD thesis constitutes a critical analysis of ‘dress therapy’ – hitherto unconnected dress-related therapeutic approaches to body image and self-concept rooted in different countries and medical disciplines. Focusing on ‘dress therapy’ as a cultural phenomenon rather than a clinical technique, this thesis aims to analyse how the relationship between dress and self is constructed and mobilised in the different dress-related therapeutic settings. Underlying notions of self, both implicit and explicit in these therapeutic practices, are explored and analysed in their relation to discourses of the body, gender, dress and therapy.