When someone mentions “therapy,” the first thing that might come up in one’s mind is a client and their therapist conversing comfortably seated in a room. This image portrays the traditional therapeutic setting that involves “talking it out.” The goal is to explore and understand the client’s experiences by having them talk about their experiences.
The setting facilitates the client’s emotional expression by combining therapy with various forms of expressive arts, including dance, writing, music, visual arts, and drama. This method is based on various art forms, imagination, expression, creativity, and active participation and is known as Expressive Arts Therapy. The International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA) defines this practice as integrating arts processes with psychology and community education. The aim is to assist individuals in enhancing creativity, attaining clarity, and experiencing profound healing.
Facets of Expressive Arts Therapy
Expressive Arts Therapy branches out into five major domains :
1. Dance
Using dance as a therapeutic tool, EA therapists encourage their clients to use physical movements, yoga, and dance to express their inner experiences. Some basic therapy exercises incorporated here are the Melting Ice Cream exercise, Painting the world, and Movement metaphor.
2. Music
In therapy, the client creates notes and records lyrics and music with their therapist within a therapeutic relationship to address psychosocial, emotional, cognitive, and communication needs. ‘Therapeutic Songwriting’ is an exciting exercise that incorporates music into therapy. It includes a therapist engaging the songwriters in a creative process whereby they build a song. This song has personal meaning and leads them to self-discovery.
3.Art
Clients are encouraged to use visual arts to work through their emotions, thoughts, or experiences. Some common exercises include drawing and coloring mandalas, painting with fingers, clay sculpting, creating art with closed eyes, mask making, mosaic painting, and self-portraiture. Individuals who have faced emotional trauma, domestic abuse, anxiety, depression, and various psychological challenges can find value in expressing their thoughts via art.
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1. Writing and Storytelling
Writing is used to explore the client’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The most common writing exercises in therapy include writing poems, journals, and stories.
2. Psychodrama
Drama is incorporated majorly in a group setting where the clients explore their multiple roles, conflicts, and stressors in life by engaging in theatre techniques.
Why choose Expressive Arts Therapy?
By now, it is clear that Expressive Art therapy embraces a variety of art forms as a way to help clients express their emotions and work towards better mental well-being.
However, what exactly makes people opt for Expressive Arts Therapy over the traditional therapy setup?
Here is an excerpt from a brief interaction with a Play Therapist who has a personal preference for Expressive Arts Therapy over the traditional therapy setting.
What are your takeaways from personal therapy?
So I started taking therapy online and I had to sit in my own place and most of the time there would be someone in the house. It was also challenging for me to convey things verbally. Like, when my therapist asked me to reflect on something, it was difficult for me to think and verbally express my emotions. I felt too much pressure. At one point it all sounded redundant and I couldn’t feel the relief that I was looking for.
Do you think Expressive Arts therapy could be a better fit for you personally? Why so?
Yes, sure. I’m a very expressive person. From childhood I would do most things in a creative way. Like, if I had to convey something, I would make a greeting card rather than expressing myself verbally.
In personal therapy, I felt like I had a filter on. But in Expressive Arts therapy, the acts of choosing colours, making patterns, putting paint on the paper, all are ways of expressing.
Do you think Expressive Arts therapy indicates a specific population for itself?
Yes, just like any other therapy modality, Expressive Arts therapy fits well with only a limited population. Like, I believe art makes life more meaningful, and gives an opportunity to escape reality.
Overall, Expressive Arts Therapy provides a unique pathway of introspection, self-discovery, expression, and healing through the diverse mediums of dance, music, visual arts, and more. As with every therapeutic modality, Expressive Arts therapy is the first choice for some people and not all. People who enjoy connecting dots, communicate symbolically, and formulate metaphors, find it easier to express themselves creatively. Their creative process becomes a path to their emotional health.
