For over 50 years, the Gateway Foundation has been serving patients at all stages of recovery by offering evidence-based and individualized treatment programs. Expressive therapies are an excellent tool for individuals on the road to recovery. Art therapy, music therapy, dance therapy, and other creative approaches all help a person express his or her emotions in other ways than just through talking. Sunshine Behavioral Health strives to help people who are facing substance abuse, addiction, mental health disorders, or a combination of these conditions.
Materials such as paint brushes, yarn, glitter, or anything else can be used in the expression. Beautiful things come from art therapy, no matter what one starts with. Talent has nothing to do with it, and people find they are drawn to things they never knew they would be drawn to. Expressive therapies, sometimes called creative therapies or art-based treatment, offer an alternative approach to addiction. The number of studies on art therapy treatment and SUDs remain relatively small, however, so scholars need more evidence to determine the therapy’s effectiveness. Another pioneer in the field of art therapy was Margaret Naumberg, the founder of the Walden School in New York.
Find out more about our admissions process
We assessed the prevalence of their use, the relationship between treatment centers’ patient characteristics and the use of art and music therapy, and the associations between other treatment modalities and art and music therapy. Communicating through art has several benefits for art therapy for addiction ideas individuals in recovery. When you take part in art therapy, you can reduce stress and express your emotions positively and safely. If you have a hard time quieting your mind or thoughts of your substance abuse, art can help you slow down the world and make you feel present.
- Art therapy is proven to help people deal with anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems.
- Creating art is especially effective for individuals dealing with mental disorders as well as drug and alcohol addictions.
For many in addiction recovery, a coping mechanism can help individuals cope and deal with specific challenges. Similar to a worry stone, mindfulness beads can become a cornerstone for dealing with anxious and negative emotions. As individuals are on the road to recovery, they may have a lot of gratitude toward others who have helped them get to where they are today. Creating thank you cards is a great way to show appreciation and support positive feelings and an optimistic mind.
Get Professional Help
There is a lack of nationally representative data addressing the organizational settings of art and music therapy. In the current study, we assess the utilization and organizational correlates of art and music therapies in a national sample of SUD treatment centers by addressing three specific aims. First, we document the prevalence of both types of therapies in SUD treatment programs. Second, we examine the association between the use of art and music therapy and patient populations in a treatment program. Finally, we highlight the relationship between the use of EBPs and implementation of art and music therapies in the treatment center.
