Abstract. Background. People affected by borderline personality disorder (BPD) are considered a major challenge in clinical treatment, as they find it difficult to adhere to therapeutic rules and exhibit extremely problematic behavior. The high impulsiveness and affective instability of the patients diagnosed with BPD severely impair their interpersonal relationships. Additionally, they move in a border area between interior and exterior reality and have their own time-space perception. Aim. The present survey explores the movement, localization and boundary phenomena in art therapy (AT) in the case of BPD and is based on a complex interaction model, which integrates body language in space. The research is interested in body movement in conjunction with the creative act in AT and examines the question, how it influences the definition of boundaries and the communication in the group. Methods. The project was conducted with 16 patients from a psychosomatic hospital in Germany, undergoing treatment according to dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT). The AT project was designed as a creative 8-step concept. Notes were taken after each session using IiGART and DoKuPro as measuring instruments, focusing mainly on the group dynamics, movement, and boundaries in the group. Results. The analysis of the process showed high correlation between movement, localization and demarcation. At the beginning of the project, a fixed hierarchical structure and role distribution predominated in the group. During the project the patients were increasingly friendly, cooperative, and worked in a state of flow. Discussion. The results demonstrated that working with artistic media facilitates the appearance and significance of movement through the presence of space and boundaries in the therapeutic process. AT in the case of BPD supports the emotional expression and self-regulation, which improve the general well-being of the clients. Conclusion. AT in a group could facilitate the individual process of self-expression, reflection and integration of traumatic experiences.

Key words: art therapy, mental health, group interaction, borderline personality disorder, movement

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