What are Expressive & Creative Arts Therapies?
Expressive Therapy and Creative Arts Therapy are both multi-modal approaches to therapy. Clients are encouraged to explore and process their thinking, emotions, reactions, insights, and experiences through the visual arts, music and sound, writing, literature, poetry, the natural environment, movement, dance, body-mind-spirit, and other arts areas.
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What’s the difference between Expressive Therapy and Creative Arts Therapy?
In Expressive Therapy, the therapist does not need to have any formal training or a degree as an artist in an arts area. An Expressive Therapist, for example, may have a degree in psychology, counseling, or social work and have studied how to use various arts areas within a clinical practice. The focus, in Expressive Therapy, is on the process and not the product–not the created artwork.
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In Creative Arts Therapy, the therapist has had formal training as an artist in an arts area as well as formal training in psychology, counseling, or social work. A Creative Arts Therapist, for example, may have formal training and a degree as a visual artist or writer, and also as a psychologist. The focus, in Creative Arts Therapy, is equally on the therapy and/or the therapeutic process as well as the created artwork.
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Session Format
Some of our clients prefer focusing on more traditional talk therapy within their creative arts therapy sessions. Others opt for a stronger focus on creative arts therapy. Most clients, however, like to work in a combination. It’s always the client’s choice.
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Creative Arts Areas
In general, creative arts areas include music and sound, painting and the visual arts, dance and movement, yoga, mindfulness, body-mind-spirit, cooking and culinary arts, gardening and horticulture arts, language arts and the written, spoken, and sung word. We support our clients using multiple modalities in response to each person’s individual needs.
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Session Options
Support services are offered via email / messaging, telephone, video, and in combinations. We also offer sessions in the evenings and on weekends to accommodate busy schedules.
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Resources
Visit our Ambient Soundscapes & Library where you can listen to and download mindfulness meditations, sounds of nature, white noise, mindfulness teachings, world music, and more.
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