Creative Therapies: An Introduction

In this course, an overview is given of the creative therapies, which are differentiated from the expressive therapies. The history of the creative therapies is briefly traced, the unique characteristics of creative therapies are described, and myths surrounding them are debunked. Each of the five included therapies – art therapy, music therapy, dance/movement therapy, psychodrama or drama therapy, and bibliotherapy/poetry therapy – is examined, with a discussion of its definitions, purposes/benefits, the issues for which it is deemed to be most effective, precautions for its use, and results of any research into its effectiveness.