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The Principles of

Creative Therapies

Unlock the Power of the Arts

The arts therapies are registered forms of psychotherapy and include music therapy, art therapy, dramatherapy and dance movement psychotherapy.

Practitioners have a Masters degree in their modality. They are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and/or their own professional organisations.

How do we use the Arts?

There are many different facets throughout all types of therapies and the arts therapies are no different — some important characteristics are listed below:

We Keep It Inclusive

Everyone can make music, draw, act or dance, and the client’s engagement in the artistic process is what is important. Levels of skill are irrelevant.

We Stay Focussed

There is an emphasis on process over product. The end-product may be interesting, but the focus is on the meaning of the process of making art.

We Encourage Engagement

Engagement with the arts begins even before verbal skills develop, and so artistic expression can be useful for accessing deep, hidden parts of our lives.

We Involve the Whole Person

Arts involve and engage the whole person, including sensori-motor, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of being.

We Strive For Healing

Writing, drawing, painting, role play, dance, movement, music, and more, are tools used by Arts Therapists. They can help people reflect, explore and process things they may not be able to find the words for, and they have a healing or therapeutic potential.

What principles are important in the Arts Therapies?

Creativity

Creativity is the capacity to find new and unexpected connections, new relationships and new meanings. This is important for all aspects of life and all individuals. Encouraging clients to be creative in the context of Arts Therapies can translate into the way they perceive themselves, manage their own lives and relate to other people.

Imagery, symbolism and metaphor

Imagery, symbolism and metaphor are the raw materials of imagination. They can allow the client to find new meanings and to make therapeutic change.

Non-verbal communication

Non-verbal communication can include facial expressions and gestures, as well as voice, sound, body movement, marks on paper, costumes, objects or rituals. It can be rich and expressive, especially when verbal language is difficult or impossible for a client.

Client-therapist relationship

The Client-therapist relationship is closely related to the outcome of the therapy. The Arts Therapist will relate to the client predominantly through the Arts, with a focus on empowering the client.

Therapeutic goals

Therapeutic aims will vary according to the client, and may be agreed with their collaboration. These may be personal (e.g., confidence building) or social (e.g., relating to others in a group), and will inform the work the client and therapist do together.

Assessment and Evaluation

Assessment and valuation of the arts therapy sessions is also done in collaboration with the client.

Discover Your
Full Value.

We can offer tailor-made programmes for schools, health and care provider and other organisations, as well as group or personal one-to-one sessions. Contact us to discover how the arts therapies change lives.

For You and Those You Care For

Creative therapy can be for everyone. Our qualified team offer bespoke, person-centred sessions tailored to your individual needs. Contact us to discover how creative therapy can change your life.

 

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For Organisations and Health Professionals

We are keen to work closely with schools, health and care providers and other organisations to provide exciting and innovative support programmes. We can work with individuals and/or groups in your setting, supporting people on journeys of self-expression, self-discovery and increased emotional stability. Contact us to arrange a consultation and see what we can offer.

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For Arts Therapy Professionals

At Tenuto we are seeking to cultivate a network of like-minded professionals to promote the use of Arts Therapies as a tool for healing. If you are interested in seeing how we can work together and support each other, please contact us.

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”Arts therapies are the creative use of the artistic media as vehicles for non-verbal and/or symbolic communication, within a holding environment, encouraged by a well-defined client-therapist relationship, in order to achieve personal and/or social therapeutic goals appropriate for the individual

(Karkou and Sanderson 2006, p.46).Karkou & Sanderson. (2006). Arts Therapies: A research based map of the field. Edinburgh: Elsevier Science
emergency contacts in the UK

Emergency Contacts

If you are in crisis or emergency, please use the following advice:

  • Go to the nearest Accident & Emergency hospital department
  • Call 999 and ask for an ambulance
  • Use helpline numbers (see below)
  • Contact your GP or dial 111 – NHS Direct

If it is not an emergency but you require urgent advice, call 101 for non-emergency access to the police or NHS 111.

Helplines

  • Childline: 0800 1111
    free to call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Samaritans:0161 236 8000 (local call charges apply) or
    116 123 (free to call).
    Open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. They offer confidential emotional support
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