This volume presents cutting-edge research and practice on Creative Arts Therapies or Arts Therapies for individuals on the autism spectrum of all ages, outlining the development of effective and accessible approaches to support the diverse needs of this client group. Consisting of 14 research-based chapters with contributions from over 30 authors from across the world, the book brings together research from art, music, drama, dance, movement and other forms of art therapies. The book demonstrates how arts therapies have evolved over the years to address the health and social care needs of people on the autism spectrum and their caregivers. Chapters explore the implications of arts therapies across a spectrum of needs in various settings and offer a comprehensive picture including a variety of research outcomes and therapeutic processes, and critiques both of existing practice and research methodologies. The book will be key reading for researchers, scholars and clinicians from dance movement therapy, music therapy, art therapy, dramatherapy and expressive arts therapies. It will also be of interest to post-graduate students and mental health professionals working with children, adults and families of individuals on the autism spectrum.

Psychodynamic Art Therapy Practice with People on the Autistic Spectrum offers a valuable counterbalance to the phenomenological, cognitive and behavioural theories that currently prevail in the wider field of practice and research. The result of a decade of work by a group of highly experienced art therapists, this book presents eight frank and compelling accounts of art therapy with either adults or children with autism, supported by a discussion of the relevant theory. The book begins with an overview of the theoretical context and the subsequent chapters give varied accounts of practitioners’ experiences structured in a loose developmental arc, reflecting issues that may arise in different settings and at various stages of therapy. Each is followed by an afterword which describes the author’s reflections in the light of their subsequent knowledge and experience. The conclusion brings together some of the common threads arising from their encounters and considers how these might be relevant to current and continuing art therapy practice in the field of autism. Psychodynamic Art Therapy Practice with People on the Autistic Spectrum is a thoughtful consideration of where art therapy meets autism and the particular challenges that arise in the encounter between the autistic client and the therapist. Presenting honest reflections arising from lived encounters and highlighting general principles and experiences, this book aims to orient other practitioners who work with people on the autistic spectrum, in particular art therapists and art therapy trainees.

This volume presents cutting-edge research and practice on Creative Arts Therapies or Arts Therapies for individuals on the autism spectrum of all ages, outlining the development of effective and accessible approaches to support the diverse needs of this client group. Consisting of 14 research-based chapters with contributions from over 30 authors from across the world, the book brings together research from art, music, drama, dance, movement and other forms of art therapies. The book demonstrates how arts therapies have evolved over the years to address the health and social care needs of people on the autism spectrum and their caregivers. Chapters explore the implications of arts therapies across a spectrum of needs in various settings and offer a comprehensive picture including a variety of research outcomes and therapeutic processes, and critiques both of existing practice and research methodologies. The book will be key reading for researchers, scholars and clinicians from dance movement therapy, music therapy, art therapy, dramatherapy and expressive arts therapies. It will also be of interest to post-graduate students and mental health professionals working with children, adults and families of individuals on the autism spectrum.

Arts Therapies and The Mental Health of Children and Young People presents innovative research, theory and practice in the arts therapies. The different social, cultural and political contexts and developmental age groups illustrate and underscore the richness and diversity of contemporary arts therapies' creative response to the needs of children and young people in contrasting locations. The book represents an acknowledgement of the high rates of mental disorders in children and young people and addresses this subject. In presenting an array of responses from arts therapists working with children and young people in different contexts and countries, the book highlights the particular features of distinct art forms, yet also points to the potential dialogue between disciplines. Chapters show how the expressive potential and appeal of the arts, when facilitated within the therapeutic relationship, are crucial in fostering hope in the future and the capacity for trust in self and others. This book will be of great interest to arts therapists as well as academics and postgraduate students in the fields of arts therapies, social work, psychotherapy, health psychology, and education.

This book outlines the potential uses of music, art, drama and dance movement therapies in educational settings, and the contribution they have to make to the emotional and social development of children and adolescents. Drawing on international evidence, the book outlines a wide range of applications of arts therapies across a range of settings.

Art Therapy with Children on the Autistic Spectrum presents a new model of practice, which primarily focuses on communication difficulties. The authors describe how negative behaviours and subsequent tension may be alleviated when the autistic child is involved in interactive art making with the therapist.

An introduction to the field of arts therapy, which examines the theoretical basis for the therapeutic use of the arts, this book gives guidance on how to select, assess, and evaluate the use of the therapies in practice. It is illustrated with clinical vignettes and practical examples.