We can appreciate the creative process of the arts and the effect and impact it has on people. We are strongly influenced by Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Dance Therapy, Drama Therapy, and Play Therapy.

Subsequently, we are always trying out new ideas and techniques from all theories, as well as from our own knowledge and experience, and adapting them to fit customer needs.

We are innovative as we work off the customer input and tailor the workshops to meet their needs. We also use a reflective style report after each workshop to help identify the most effective activities, any action plans and future ideas created from the workshop. The reflective report is completed by both the facilitators and provides space for discussion about the effectiveness of the workshop.

After documenting what worked best in the workshop and what customers gained from each activity, then we can identify best practice and know how effective each activity can be or has been. Also, we reflect creatively with the customers during the closure of the workshop, which provides a safe place for customers to express their feelings towards their experiences. This helps to reflect on each individual and doing this helps find the most effective activities. The best practices can then be implemented in future projects.

Best Practices in Creative Expressive Therapies.

• Workshop structure – the best form of practice in the field of Creative Expressive Therapies is applying the structure of warm-up, followed by the main activity, and finally a closure session. This is a simple yet very effective way to structure workshops.
• Effective Interaction – using effective communication methods to help encourage service users to learn from their own understandings and experiences.
• Reflection – for both the workshop facilitators and the service users it is essential to reflect on all the experiences during the Creative Expressive workshops. This creates a space to learn and explore from one’s experience.
• Witnessing – Creative Expressive Facilitators can witness service user’s experiences/expressions and work with them to reflect with the individual.
• Experiential learning – using a variety of art forms such as drama, dance & movement, art and music, this can help break down social barriers creating a fun learning environment.
• Person Centred Approach – assessing services user’s challenges, needs, and requirements to devise what the next step should be for each individual.