What encompasses various therapeutic practices and methodologies aimed at promoting physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being?
Healing arts refer to a collection of methods that employ creativity to enhance an individual's health and overall wellbeing. These techniques can encompass various disciplines, such as music therapy, art therapy, dance therapy, and more.
Healing arts can be regarded as complementary therapies, permitting individuals to use them in conjunction with conventional medical treatments to boost their wellbeing. In some instances, medical professionals may incorporate healing arts into their practice. For example, a psychotherapist might advocate for expressive writing or painting to aid someone in understanding and expressing their emotions.
Delve deeper into the world of healing arts, uncover their various types, and discover their benefits.
What constitutes healing arts?
Based on the National Endowment for the Arts, healing arts entail therapies that utilize creativity to assist individuals coping with mental or physical health problems.
Many cultures have historically relied on creativity for healing purposes. As an example, chanting, painting, drawing, singing, and dancing have been employed to bolster wellbeing.
The healing arts adopt this same principle, focusing on evidence-based practices.
A person might engage in healing arts therapies by participating in dedicated classes or groups. Alternatively, healthcare professionals in disparate fields might implement creativity in their own practice. This could include attempting:
- encouraging creative expression as a means of emotion release
- prompting a person to write about their hopes, fears, or aspirations
- utilizing the arts to convey ideas
- employing symbolism and metaphors
Illustrations of healing arts
Below are several examples of healing arts.
Music therapy
Music therapy involves employing music to address health issues or developmental disparities. It can entail:
music therapist
- listening to music
- creating music
- singing
- playing instruments
In the eyes of the American Music Therapy Association, practitioners adjust sessions according to their clients' objectives. These objectives may encompass improving communication, reducing stress, enhancing memory, or expressing emotions.
bachelor’s degree (BA) in music or music therapy
Art therapy
Visual art therapy has a similar purpose and objectives as music therapy but centering on the visual arts. Individuals may employ various creative mediums, for instance, pencils, paints, or clay, to articulate themselves or to better grasp their emotions.
BA in a related subject followed by a master’s degree (MA) in music therapy
The American Art Therapy Association asserts this strategy is particularly advantageous during times of crisis, change, or grief. Moreover, it highlights that individuals do not necessitate prior artistic experience to benefit from art therapy.
Dance therapy
Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC)
According to the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA), dance therapy, or dance and movement therapy, consists of the application of movement to support mental health. It may involve movement that is:
- expressive, offering individuals a means to express feelings
- communicative, instructing individuals how to recognize body language in themselves or others
- adaptive, which signifies its inclusion of individuals of all ages and physical abilities
Drama therapy
Drama therapy involves exploiting drama, theater, or acting to address therapeutic goals. The North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) advocates that it might assist individuals with:
art therapist
- narrating their story
- solving problems
- exploring their emotions
- improving interpersonal skills
- experiencing catharsis, or an emotional release
The therapy can incorporate elements of play, storytelling, improvisation, performance, or observing others perform.
MA or higher in art therapyspecific BA in art therapy is not necessary, but studying art at undergraduate level is often necessary, and psychology may also be a requirement for some programs
How can people harness art for healing?
The healing arts offer a multitude of potential benefits and uses, such as:
Registered Art Therapist (ATR)
Treatment for mental health
Recently, the healing arts and creative therapies have garnered considerable attention as a means of assisting individuals who have experienced traumatic events.
A 2020 review mentions prior studies that suggest creative therapies can:
- aid traumatized individuals without requiring them to discuss their experience
- elevate feelings of optimism
- augment resilience
- foster post-traumatic growth
dance therapist
A 2020 systematic review similarly discovered medium-to-strong evidence that music therapy decreases stress.
Therapy for neurodegenerative conditions
ADTA-approved graduate program
Alzheimer's disease can impair communication and memory over time. However, musical memory can persist intact. Consequently, music therapy has gained popularity as a complementary therapy for Alzheimer's.
A review of past research notes that music therapy can assist individuals with Alzheimer's in:
MA followed by additional training from qualified teachers
- learning new songs
- absorbing verbal information
- enhancing memory
- alleviating mental health symptoms, such as anxiety and depression
Music therapy might also benefit caregivers. The approach may reduce stress and facilitate communication between caregivers and the person with Alzheimer's.
Registered Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT)
Researchers continue to explore why music therapy benefits those with Alzheimer's and whether it affects the brain or disease progression.
Another review of dance therapy found evidence it could enhance cognitive (thinking) function and motor skills in individuals with Parkinson's disease and mild cognitive impairment.
Enhancing care for cancer patients
A review of previous studies suggested that visual art therapy positively impacted cancer patients, improving their quality of life. The 12 studies in the review displayed reductions in anxiety, depression, and fatigue scores.
drama therapist
Another study also discovered that music therapy reduced anxiety in children with cancer over time.
| Job Role | Primary Training Method | Alternative Pathway | Professional Certification || --- | --- | --- | --- || Music Therapist | Obtaining a Bachelor's Degree (BA) in Music or Music Therapy | Obtaining a BA in a 相關職業 followed by a Master's Degree (MA) in Music Therapy | Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC) || Art Therapist | Pursuing a Master's Degree (MA) or higher in Art Therapy (a BA in Art Therapy is 不必要, but learning art at an undergraduate level is usually necessary, and psychology may be a requirement for certain programs.) | Becoming a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) || Dance Therapist | Enrolling in an ADTA-approved graduate program | Completing a MA followed by additional training from qualified teachers | Registered Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT) || Drama Therapist | Earning a Master's Degree (MA) or doctoral degree in Drama Therapy from an NADTA-accredited school | Obtaining a BA and MA in a related subject followed by 加以訓練 in Drama Therapy | Registered Drama Therapist (RDT) |
MA or doctoral degree in drama therapy from an NADTA-accredited school
Once they've completed their qualifications, some individuals may need to pass an additional assessment to attain their certifications.
Masters of Creative Arts might conduct their work in various locations such as hospital wards, elderly homes, schools, rehabilitation centers, prisons, crisis centers, or in their own private practice.
BA and MA in a related subject followed by additional training in drama therapy
Summary
A range of disciplines falls under the banner of healing arts, some with a solid scientific foundation, while others rely on a few poorly designed studies, and some possess no supporting research at all. Despite this, there's no evidence to suggest that healing arts can wholly replace conventional treatment.
Registered Drama Therapist (RDT)
However, they can enhance care, alleviate pain, and provide individuals with a greater sense of control over their healthcare. In some circumstances, insurance may cover healing arts, and healthcare providers may advocate for them.
It may be beneficial for individuals to discuss with a healthcare professional which appropriate healing art form could promote healing and improve their overall well-being.
In the realm of complementary therapies, acupuncture and herbal supplements can also contribute to an individual's health improvement. Acupuncture involves the insertion of thin needles into specific points in the body to stimulate healing, while herbal supplements use natural plant extracts to promote wellness.
Additionally, chiropractic care can be a valuable healing art. Chiropractors use spinal manipulations and other techniques to align the body's musculoskeletal structure and improve joint mobility, which can alleviate pain and enhance overall health. Moreover, this approach can be particularly effective in managing chronic conditions like sinus infections, which often result from misaligned or tightened collars of the spinal vertebrae near the sinuses.
