Patient Portal
Join Our Team

CREATE Clinic

Creative Reinvention (via) Expressive Arts Therapies Experiences

The CREATE Clinic at Next STEPS Worldwide was founded because we know that creativity expressed through the arts can bring healing for all ages. Engaging the body and the brain in expressive arts facilitates wholeness in a safe environment because, among other benefits, it allows clients the opportunity to express difficult life experiences without reliving them.

What is Expressive Arts Therapy?

Many clients wonder if expressive arts therapy is a fit for them – “Do I have to be an artist or memorize lines? Do I have to be able to dance or have some talent in art?” Anytime someone is moving in a dance class, playing a game or listening to music, they are participating in recreation, engaging in social/personal relationships, exercising or learning to master a skill. Whether expressive arts is a hobby, pastime or distraction, it is a time to feel less stress – and most likely feel better. At CREATE, we utilize a variety of expressive arts therapies by combining creative arts as a mode to engage clients in therapeutic services with different types of experiences (symbolic, nonverbal, and physiological). We put less emphasis on talk therapy and instead use expressive arts to focus the healing process.

How Could CREATE Help?

By utilizing expressive arts therapies, CREATE helps clients uncover emotions and life events. When a person lacks life experience, reasoning skills or self awareness to process and express different emotions, CREATE connects the client and the therapist beyond words through the use of movement, memories, imagery, symbolism and other interpretations of experiences. Understanding the connection between the body and mind is vital. Clients learn about themselves and their interaction with the world by exploring their senses, engaging in free expression and tapping into knowledge that their body contains.

Expressive Arts Therapy Modalities*

  • Art Therapy involves using media, concepts and symbols for therapeutic communication so clients can obtain perspective and navigate their challenges. Art productions are created via painting, drawing, sculpting or other materials (printed matter, cloth, photographs, etc.), and then during therapy sessions the creations and their interpretations are processed with the clinician.
  • Drama Therapy involves engaging in theatre techniques like role playing, storytelling and improv to create distance from problems/issues as the clinician approaches each client with  tailored problem-solving approaches for specific understanding of habits, feelings and thought patterns. Experimenting and practicing new behaviors and skills also takes place as clients receive feedback from acting as themselves or a character.
  • Dance/Movement Therapy supports the mental, physical and spiritual dynamics of the body through the use of movement and/or dance. This involves integrating the healing of mind and body through yoga, general movement, traditional dance forms and the analysis of nonverbal behavior.
  • Music Therapy enhances and improves skills in a variety of areas through the use of instruments, singing, improv, songwriting, recorded music and composition. The areas of functioning addressed include but are not limited to: pain management, self-awareness, social behavior, neurological conditions/challenges and physical challenges.
  • Play Therapy is a therapeutic method of assisting a child in coping with stress, helping assist in their development and fostering relationship building through the use of a child’s natural means of exploration and expression.
  • Recreational Therapy is designed for people over 18 and allows them to engage in non-directive leisure, activity and expression (sand tray, dolls, bubbles, balls, structured games, etc.) as a means to establish healthier coping outlets, increase activity and address disabling behaviors or conditions.

 

How Can I Get Involved With the CREATE Clinic at Next STEPS Worldwide?

We offer individual and group expressive arts therapy for adults and children of all ages.

  • For children CREATE group sessions can be an added support to individual sessions with clinicians. In the group therapy setting, clients learn general coping, emotional awareness, and social interaction skills while having fun and developing creative outlets for their challenges.
  • Family therapy and/or parent training sessions are a built-in part of our child therapy offerings; therefore, your family therapist may be in ongoing collaboration with a CREATE clinician to provide coordinated care.
  • Adult clients may also benefit from consultation with our CREATE Clinic staff. Suggestions for integrating expressive arts techniques may come from your intake assessment or from your stated interest.

We at the CREATE Clinic believe that utilizing expressive art therapy can help facilitate a pathway to healing in a creative, expedient, purposeful and fun way – for children and adults. We believe there is an optimal expressive approach available to help all our clients function as their best selves!