Creative Intentions

Creative interventions have been formalized through the disciplines of art therapy, music therapy, dance/movement therapy, drama therapy or psychodrama, poetry therapy, and play therapy, including sandtray therapy. Each discipline has been applied in psychotherapy and counseling with individuals of all ages, particularly children, for more than 70 years. Art, music, dance, drama, and poetry therapies are referred to as “creative arts therapies” because of their roots in the arts and theories of creativity. These therapies and others that utilize self-expression in treatment are also called “expressive therapies” (Malchiodi, 2005; 2013; 2014). Expressive arts therapies are defined as the use of art, music, drama, dance/movement, poetry/creative writing, bibliotherapy, play, and sandplay within the context of psychotherapy, counseling, rehabilitation, or medicine. Additionally, expressive therapies are sometimes referred to as “integrative” when various arts are purposely used in combination in treatment.