Art Therapy
Improving your everyday life through art therapy. Choose your way to relax.
Dance movement therapy (also known as dance therapy)
involves using body movement and dance. For example, you might
explore different types of movements and rhythms. You don't need to
have any dance skills or experience.
Some people find that dance movement therapy helps them to:
- Feel more in touch with their body and physical surroundings.
- Address difficult feelings about their body or appearance.
- Explore difficult experiences through movement rather than words.
Dramatherapy involves using different types of drama
and performance activities that might be helpful for you. For
example, you might invent characters, tell stories, play games or do
mimes. You might also use puppets, masks or other objects. Not all
activities will involve talking, and you don't need to have any
acting skills or experience.
Some people find that dramatherapy helps them to:
- Express or resolve difficult thought or feelings.
- Safely explore being playful and using their imagination.
- Explore how mental health problems affect their body.
Music therapy involves exploring music and sound. You
don't need to have any musical knowledge or experience to do music
therapy – for example, you don't need to know how to play any
instruments, read music or be a good singer. Together with your
therapist, you might listen to music or use different types of
instruments to explore ways of communicating and expressing your
feelings. Music therapists often provide instruments that are easy
to use, such as cymbals, wood blocks or bells. Or you might use your
voice to make sounds or sing. There is no right or wrong way of
using music to communicate your feelings. You and your therapist
might make sounds together in a way that feels therapeutic for you.
Some people find that music therapy helps them to:
- Connect with their therapist and other people using music.
- Communicate difficult thoughts or feelings.
- Express themselves in new ways.
Visual art therapy (also known as 'art therapy')
involves using visual art materials. For example, you might use
pens, pencils, crayons, paint, chalk, clay or collaging. You might
also use digital media, such as photos or video. You don't need to
have any art skills or experience. With support from your therapist,
you might use art materials to express your feelings or experiences.
Your therapist might sometimes provide ideas or prompts – for
example, some art therapy groups might focus on a particular theme
or activity each session. Your therapist won't judge your art or
tell you what it means. They will help you explore what it means to
you and how you felt about making it. For example, you may talk
about why you chose a particular colour or material in your artwork.
But not everything you make will need to have a meaning.
Some people find that art therapy helps them to:
- Communicate feelings or thoughts they find difficult to talk about.
- Look at a problem or situation in a new way.
- Explore difficult or painful experiences.
- Understand themselves better.
- Feel more comfortable in therapy.
Made by Viktoriia Lazorenko 👧