Expressive Arts Therapy: Music & Arts Therapy

Expressive arts therapy combines creativity and psychology to help people heal from trauma and improve their emotional health. Expressive arts therapy is an approach where expressive arts therapists combine psychology and the creative arts—whether it's theater, music, dance, or visual arts—to help clients connect to their inner feelings. The goal of expressive therapy is to help people uncover the causes of their mental health difficulties, connect with the origins of their emotional state, and work with creative arts therapists to develop a treatment plan for coping with symptoms and igniting self-discovery. Many professionals integrate different forms of therapy, incorporating various manifestations of the arts, and sometimes a fusion known as expressive arts, thus offering a broader approach to healing through therapy. Expressive arts-based therapy, in turn, can delve deeper into emotions by utilizing multiple art forms.

Expressive arts therapy

Expressive arts therapy, also called creative arts therapy or simply expressive therapy, is a therapy commonly used for treating young children or adults who are recovering from trauma. Like many other forms of therapy, expressive arts therapy may be used individually or in group settings, and anxiety art therapy can be a valuable tool for those seeking anxiety reduction, stress relief, or to improve their overall mental health. Expressive arts therapy techniques may be especially useful for those who have trouble connecting to a deep emotional place or expressing their emotions verbally, as they may find that other creative arts mediums and making art allow them to do this more freely. Modern therapy practitioners often incorporate advanced therapy methods along with arts and expressive arts techniques.

1. Creativity through art forms like music and dance

The first component of expressive arts therapy is creative expression, which is simply the act of expressing one’s internal emotions in an external, artistic form. Without expressing their feelings or inner world in some way, it can be nearly impossible for the individual to receive help from a mental health professional to work through them in therapy. Professionals often expand this therapy by including diverse arts and embracing expressive arts as part of the healing journey.

2. Active participation 

The next component of expressive arts therapy is active participation. The art form used in expressive arts therapy is typically hands-on (drawing, sculpting, playing musical instruments, mask making, etc.), which means the individual will always be an active participant in their own healing through art making.

3. Artistic imagination

Imagination is the third component of expressive arts therapy. Expressive arts therapy draws on the imagination to encourage people to express feelings in new art forms to inspire personal growth during the creative arts process. Through expressive arts therapy, individuals can explore diverse artistic methods and discover creative ways to enhance self-expression.

4. Mind-body connection

Finally, the fourth component of arts therapy is the mind-body connection. Unlike traditional forms of talk therapy, expressive arts therapy actively involves the five senses, the hands, and sometimes other parts of the body, as with interpretive dance or dance therapy. This integration of the arts creates a more immersive therapy experience that promotes awareness and self-expression. Such an approach can be particularly effective in developing self-awareness in a therapeutic context.

Conditions that an art therapist may help with

While expressive arts therapy is commonly associated with healing from trauma, it can also be useful for other mental health problems that may be unrelated to this type of harmful past experience. For instance, expressive arts therapy could be used as a complementary medicine to help human beings who are experiencing depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or self-esteem issues. Research and current literature suggest that these artistic modalities in the expressive arts therapy space can be particularly helpful for those experiencing an eating disorder, offering a creative and therapeutic approach to mental health care.

Who can benefit

While expressive arts therapy can be helpful for almost anyone, it’s commonly used with children in therapy. The key reason for this is that most children aren’t yet skilled in understanding how to express their emotions verbally; and many are already used to engaging in the creative arts process through their education. Expressive arts therapy can allow them to express how they’re feeling in other, more intuitive and hands-on ways. In some internal medicine units and other hospital units, expressive art is a common therapeutic treatment given alongside other therapeutic interventions.

Expressive arts therapy exercises

Expressive arts therapy can take many forms depending on the individual, what they’re aiming to heal from, their preferences, and the therapist’s expertise. A few examples of expressive arts therapy include:

• Creating drawings, even simple line art can be a valuable part of expressive arts methods, fostering a deeper engagement with visual expression.
• Reflecting on specific events through acting and roleplay can be guided by expressive arts principles. This approach allows individuals to process their experiences within a broader expressive arts framework.
• Painting a self-portrait can become part of expressive arts approaches, providing an opportunity to engage with expressive arts as a means of self-reflection and emotional exploration.
• Interpretive dancing serves as another expressive arts modality, enabling the body to express what words cannot, thus enhancing the individual’s overall expressive arts experience.
• Writing poetry can align with expressive arts concepts, as it encourages personal expression and emotional release through the written word, deeply rooted in expressive arts traditions.
• Making music can be integrated into expressive arts therapy, allowing individuals in expressive arts therapy to tap into rhythms and sounds that reflect their inner state while remaining immersed in the expressive arts process.

One study looked at the impact of the emotions of patients admitted to a public health internal medicine unit and found that even art contemplation (looking at photographs) could be beneficial for emotional health.

Again, expressive arts therapy is a highly personal therapeutic modality.One particular art form isn’t better than the others. The therapist will typically encourage the individual to use the medium they feel most connected with, whether it’s visual arts, music, dance, or other creative arts. It’s also important to remember that expressive arts therapy is about the process rather than the end result. That means those who don’t have a background in the arts or feel that they’re not artistically inclined don’t need to worry; expressive arts therapy can still be effective for them.

Expressive arts therapy with an arts therapist

Your expressive arts therapist should be registered by the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA) have a master’s degree or higher, and should have completed clinical work in the area of expressive arts therapy. If you don’t already have a specific art medium in mind, it may be best to choose expressive arts therapy practitioners who take an integrative approach rather than focusing on one specific artistic medium. If there’s a particular type of trauma you’re looking to work through, you might also seek out an expressive arts therapist who has experience in that specific area of therapy.

Expressive arts therapy support

If you’re experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition and aren’t sure which type of therapy might be right for you, it can be helpful to meet with a mental health professional for a therapy consultation. You could also try a broad, widely applicable type of therapy like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)or mindfulness-based approaches first, which has been shown to be effective for a variety of mental health challenges. While expressive arts therapy is typically done in person, CBT can be done in person or online. Research suggests that both formats can offer similar benefits to people in a variety of situations, so the virtual therapy can be helpful to those who can’t locate a therapist in their area, don’t have reliable transportation, or simply prefer to receive treatment from the comfort of their home. Alternative and complementary medicine can be used alongside traditional types of therapy, so you do not need to choose one or the other.

If you’re interested in trying virtual therapy, you might consider using an online learning and therapy platform like BetterHelp. You’ll start by filling out a brief questionnaire about your needs and preferences. Next, you’ll be matched with a licensed therapist who you can then meet with via phone, video call, and/or online chat to address the challenges you may be facing.