Creative arts therapists use creative media and approaches to:
- Address issues related to mental, physical, or developmental challenges
- Support mental and physical health in people of all ages and abilities
- Promote wellness, creativity, and personal growth
Creative arts therapists provide a safe and inclusive setting for people who may have trouble expressing themselves because of physical, emotional, or other barriers. Creative arts therapists use creative processes to improve clients’ awareness and promote inner change and growth. They may use visual art, dance, drama, music, or a combination of the arts. Many children, in particular, find it easier to share their feelings by creating art than by expressing themselves verbally.
- Art therapists use visual art to assess and treat clients of all ages. The art process can expand people’s ability to express themselves, understand their experiences, and problem solve. Professional art therapists who have completed graduate level training may also conduct or participate in research. They provide therapy to individuals and groups of all ages. They may also educate, collaborate with, and be consultants for other mental health professionals.
- Dance therapists focus on non-verbal behaviour. They encourage clients to use creative, expressive body movement to express feelings and address emotional issues. Dance / movement therapists observe and assess body movements, and use those movements to address the emotional, social, physical, and cognitive state of an individual.
- Drama therapists use creative play, psychodrama, role play, improvisation, and theatre to address emotional issues. Drama can provide a means for participants to tell their stories, set goals, solve problems, and express feelings. Drama therapy can help an individual actively explore their inner experiences.
- Music therapists use active and receptive music-making to help clients process emotions, achieve physical goals, and develop coping strategies. Active music interventions may include singing or other types of vocalizations, playing instruments, improvising, and song writing. Receptive music experiences may include listening to music, moving, drawing, or writing in response to music, guided imagery, lyric analysis, sensory stimulation, or relaxation. Certified music therapists (MTAs) may conduct or participate in research. They may also educate, collaborate with, and consult for other mental health professionals.
- Play therapists use play, the natural language of children, to provide a safe, consistent therapeutic environment in which a child can experience acceptance, empathy, and understanding. This helps children process their inner experiences and feelings.
For each client or client group, therapists:
- Assess needs and strengths
- Identify treatment goals
- Select an approach or approaches and develop a treatment program
- Use programs or strategies that involve music, art, drama, dance, or a combination of these
- Continually assess and evaluate treatment outcomes against the client’s needs
- Adjust approaches or programs as needed to best meet the client’s needs, such as by transposing music to better suit the client’s vocal range
Whether as members of interdisciplinary teams or individuals in private practice, creative arts therapists work collaboratively with other professionals. These include, but are not limited to, psychiatrists, psychologists, teachers, nurses, speech-language pathologists, counsellors, and allied health professionals.
