Art, music, dance and theatre are forms of creative expression that can help individuals to process and cope with emotional difficulties. They provide a means to reconstruct meaning and identity, work with traumatic experiences, construct and retell stories and form social connections. Expressive therapy can take many forms, incorporating art, theatre, storytelling, music and dance. Below, are some examples of these types of interventions.
Creative expression can offer:
- Improvements in and increased comfort using language of host culture
- Reduction in children´s emotional distress
- Improvements in taking responsibility, social competence, and self-regulation
- Increased social integration, positive social relationships
- Increased self-expression