Mental health articles

Expressive arts therapy.The arts therapies are forms of psychotherapy that involve creative ways to express and explore feelings and problems. This may involve a psychodynamic, behavioural or other theoretical approach but it is the use of the art form that is central. The core belief is that expression through the arts – visual, imaginative, sensory or physical – can enable expression of feelings and experiences that may be too difficult or too deeply buried to talk about. The art form brings another element into the therapy space, to help communication and reduce the intensity of the client–therapist relationship, making it more bearable. An arts therapy allows different levels of expression and exploration, which can be modified to individual need.

expressive arts therapy.This can be purely through the creative art being the medium with which to express feelings and problems, or time can be made for verbally reflecting on the connection between what has been created and the client’s personal experiences.

Although many people can benefit from an arts therapy, it is often clients who have difficulty expressing themselves verbally, those who can talk for hours but not get to the bottom of the problem or those for whom talking about their experiences is too overwhelming who are referred for an arts therapy. There are four arts therapies:

• art therapy

• dramatherapy

• music therapy

• dance movement therapy.

expressive arts therapy. Each therapy is different in what it offers the client and will appeal to different people. For example, a dramatherapy group encourages interaction and team work between members and so can help people work on their communication skills and ways of relating, while an art therapy group might allow clients to work individually while in the company of others, which can be all the contact some people can manage. There is no need to be accomplished at the art form to use an arts therapy: the emphasis is on the therapeutic process, not on the creation of a finished product. A willingness to try creative expression is important, and some anxiety is natural.

To practise as an arts therapist requires a specialist qualification at Master’slevel. Arts therapists may sometimes cofacilitate groups with other therapies or health professionals, or be assisted by support workers. They may supervise others running art-based groups, such as confidence through drama and creative art.

Tags: therapy