Can Psychology Be An Art ? A Journey from the Human Sciences to the Psychological Humanities

This paper advocates for an epistemic reclassification of the field of psychology to be considered not just as a science, but also as an art. I situate my vision of psychology-as-art within the burgeoning movement of the psychological humanities, and I perform a literary argument for this vision that embodies the psychological humanities itself. Through literary prose, I narrate my 15-year journey as a psychologist-artist-mystic, weaving phenomenological philosophy, Hindu cosmology, and depth and liberation psychologies with examples of my artistic projects to demonstrate how subjective lived experience—and the depths of the human soul—find expression best through psychological literature, poetry, paintings, and film. In the discussion section, I then conceptually elaborate upon four claims: (1) some forms of psychology are better understood as art rather than science, and artwork itself may constitute empirical knowledge; (2) some psychological truths may emerge through spiritual or revelatory epistemologies, legitimizing decolonial and non-Western ways of knowing; (3) reclaiming emotional, sensual, irrational, and passionate modes of knowledge can serve as a feminist corrective for psychology; and (4) embracing psychology-as-art is an ethical and social justice imperative in this current historical moment. Ultimately, an epistemic vision of psychology-as-art invites readers to reflect on what a more beautiful psychology might offer our wounded world.