Creative therapy
Creative therapy (creative arts therapy, CATs) – a range of therapeutic interventions utilising artistic mediums, such as music, dance, drama, poetry, and visual arts, facilitates emotional expression, enhances self-awareness, and promotes psychological well-being. These therapies provide individuals with alternative, often non-verbal, ways of communicating and processing emotions, which can be particularly beneficial for those struggling with trauma, anxiety, depression, or other psychological difficulties.
Types of creative therapy:
art therapy (involves the use of drawing, painting, and other visual art forms to express emotions and explore personal narratives);
music therapy (utilizes sound, rhythm, and musical improvisation to enhance emotional and cognitive well-being);
dance therapy (encourages body movement as a means of emotional release and self-exploration);
drama therapy (engages individuals in role-playing, storytelling, and performance to process emotions and life experiences);
poetry therapy (uses creative writing, poetry, and literary expression to foster insight and healing).
Creative therapy is rooted in the idea that artistic expression enables individuals to access deeper emotional states and process experiences in ways that traditional talk therapy might not fully facilitate. It is particularly useful for people who find verbal communication challenging or insufficient for expressing their thoughts and emotions.
American Psychological Association’s Dictionary of Psychology. (2018). Retrieved from: https://shorturl.at/RKpFh.
Arriaga, P. et al. (2024). From art to insight: The role of a creative arts therapies group workshop on college students’ well-being, self-awareness, and loneliness. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 90. Retrieved from: https://shorturl.at/lDpiT.
Dumaresq, E., & McFerran, K. S. (2024). A critical and interpretive synthesis of arts-based methods used by dance therapy researchers: A perspective from the creative arts therapies. Methods in Psychology, 11. Retrieved from: https://shorturl.at/ghPNg.