Expressive Arts Therapy

Art, music, dance, drama, and poetry therapies are referred to as “creative arts therapies” because of their roots in the arts and theories of creativity. These therapies and others that utilize self-expression in treatment are also called “expressive therapies”. Expressive arts therapies are defined as the use of art, music, drama, dance/movement, poetry/creative writing, bibliotherapy, play, and sandplay within the context of psychotherapy, counseling, rehabilitation, or medicine. Music and art therapy provides clients with a unique opportunity to express themselves through a creative platform while undergoing stress, grief, loss or medical issues. Through these creative endeavors, clients are able to address their emotional, psychological, cognitive, physical and social needs and can find a creative outlet that allows them to move forward in their healing process. Play therapy has proven to be a dynamic therapeutic alternative that works especially well for children. Through play therapy, children play out their feelings and needs in a manner or process of expression that allows adults to better understand their emotions. In a therapeutic setting, children have the opportunity to reveal their emotions through the act of play, and a therapist can interpret the child’s feelings in an interactive and healthy way.