Creative Arts Therapy for Children, Young People & Adults
We establish rapport between our therapists and each individual through various forms of play, creative arts expression, and effective verbal and non-verbal communication.
We utilise a comprehensive range of artistic modalities, including drama, visual arts, music, and movement, tailored to meet each client’s specific needs.
We employ a creative and expressive approach that emphasises positive aspects of the self, both physically and emotionally, empowering children and adults to identify their unique strengths and realise their full potential.
We support communication through vocal expression, drama, and sensory activities, while fostering the rebuilding and development of trust in interpersonal relationships.
We facilitate a less intimidating approach to exploring emotionally challenging topics by using metaphor to create a sense of safety and emotional distance.
We assist children and adults in recognising their own emotions, as well as those of others, while promoting healthy emotional expression and exploration. This helps to foster healthy attachments and relationships with significant people in their lives.
Arts Therapy Modalities
Arts therapies use creative processes to support emotional expression, wellbeing, and personal growth. At ID Derby, we work across a range of modalities, offering different ways to explore thoughts and feelings in a safe and supportive space.
These may include visual art-making, music, drama, movement, and other creative practices, depending on individual needs. Each modality offers a way to express experiences that may be difficult to put into words, supporting insight, resilience, and self-awareness.
Below, you can find more information about each modality to download and read at your own pace.
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Dance / Movement Therapy
Dance Movement Psychotherapy (DMP) is an expressive therapy that uses movement and dance to support emotional, cognitive, physical, and social wellbeing. It is based on the understanding that mind and body are closely connected, and that movement can be a powerful way to communicate feelings and experiences that may be difficult to express in words.
Through guided movement and creative exploration, DMP can help individuals process experiences, build self-awareness, and support healing in a safe and supportive environment.
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Art Therapy
Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses creative expression—such as drawing, painting, sculpture, and collage—to support emotional expression, self-awareness, and mental wellbeing. Rather than relying solely on talking, it focuses on the creative process as a way of exploring thoughts and feelings that may be difficult to put into words.
Through making art, individuals are supported to process experiences at their own pace in a safe and supportive environment. This can help to increase understanding of emotions, build resilience, and support personal growth.
ID Derbys work also includes the use of clay field work and sand tray (sand box) therapy, which offer tactile and sensory ways of exploring inner experiences. These approaches can be particularly helpful for expressing complex feelings, memories, or stories in a contained and symbolic way.
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Music Therapy
At ID Derby, music therapy is a clinical and evidence-based approach that uses music to support individual therapeutic goals within a safe and professional relationship with a qualified music therapist.
It can involve a range of musical experiences such as listening to music, singing, improvisation, songwriting, and playing instruments. These activities are used to support emotional expression, communication, and overall wellbeing, helping individuals work through personal challenges in a creative and accessible way.
Music therapy at ID Derby makes use of a wide range of instruments, from simple percussion and drums to keyboards, guitars, and other melodic or rhythmic instruments. This variety allows people of all abilities to engage in music-making, even without prior musical experience.
Through musical interaction, individuals can develop confidence, improve emotional awareness, strengthen social connection, and support their mental, emotional, physical, and social wellbeing.
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Drama Therapy
At ID Derby, Drama Therapy is a creative and therapeutic approach that uses action, imagination, and performance techniques to help individuals explore and express their thoughts and feelings.
It focuses on creative “doing” rather than only talking, making it especially helpful for people who find it difficult to express themselves verbally, including children, trauma survivors, and those with communication difficulties.
Drama Therapy combines the healing potential of theatre with the structure and goals of professional therapy, supporting emotional healing, personal growth, and self-discovery in a safe and supportive environment.
At ID Derby, we also have access to a wide range of props and creative resources, which can be used to support storytelling, role play, and imaginative exploration during sessions. These tools help bring experiences to life in a contained and supportive way, making expression more accessible and engaging for individuals of all ages and abilities.