What is Expressive Arts or Creative Arts Therapy?
According to the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA), "the expressive arts combine the visual arts, movement, drama, music, writing and other creative processes to foster deep personal growth and community development."
According to Cathy Malchiodi, it is "the use of art, music, dance/movement, drama, poetry/creative writing, play, and sandtray within the context of psychotherapy, counseling, rehabilitation, or health care."
Art, music, dance/movement, drama, and poetry/creative writing are definied according to the National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations (NCCATA) as creative arts therapies.
The difference in names relate to the art forms being used as the sole means of therapy versus as an integrated approach to verbal psychotherapy.
The arts therapies can be seen as action therapies as the clients or participants explore experiences and issues through the various art forms.
Those who are qualified practitioners use the arts as means of therapy to help those with but not limited to, disabilities and mental illnesses.
What exactly is dance movement therapy?
It is a profession based on the art of dance and augmented by psychological theories involving core human processes.
The writer will explore dance movement therapy more in the next section.
