Expressive Arts Therapy
Healing and new discovery through arts
"Expressive arts therapy combines psychology and the creative process to promote emotional growth and healing." - Psychology Today.
Everyone has an innate desire to create. This creativity can manifest through musicality, visual arts, story-telling or other means. Expressive arts therapy is not about sitting down to paint something technical. Instead, the participant is encouraged to express themselves through an art-making experience. Creative self-expression is linked to learning and problem solving. This is useful in supporting new ways of engaging and finding creative solutions to what we are 'stuck' on. When working with children, the therapist follows the child's lead, offers enticing activities, and shapes whatever emerges during their play into an art form. Expressive arts therapy works with the whole person: mind and body.
Although talking or conversation may be a part of this experience, no verbal response is required from the client.