Who we are
Arts Psychotherapies offer arts based psychological therapies across NHS Lothian in Community, Inpatient and Children and Young People Services.
See our full list of services
We aim to help people manage how they respond to difficult emotions and therefore have kinder and more trusting relationships with themselves and others, to feel safer in relationships and lead more fulfilling lives.
As relational therapists we aim to help people experience themselves and others in different ways, through the use of an arts based activity within a therapeutic framework. We aim to help people manage how they respond to difficult emotions and therefore have kinder and more trusting relationships with themselves and others, to feel safer in relationships and lead more fulfilling lives.
We support people of all ages and abilities at all stages of life who do not find words accessible, easy or helpful when describing or understanding their emotional experience. This can be particularly helpful when emotions are too confusing to speak, when words are not enough or too much to bear and where this may impact their ability to identify or articulate their difficulties, and therefore struggle to access the support that they need. This is often people that have experienced significant adverse life experiences or traumatic events, mental illness or disability or who attract a diagnosis of personality disorder.
The relational nature of the art form (art, music, dance or drama) supports a therapeutic framework that can help foster a deep trust, enabling learning, growth and life choices to happen. Our person centered, psychological interventions can be offered as group or individual sessions depending on the setting, and the needs of patients.
How to access Arts Psychotherapies treatments
At present we cannot take self-referrals from members of the public for Arts Psychotherapies treatments. We can only take referrals for people who are already connected with other services in NHS Lothian. This might be people already using inpatient services, or children and young people connected with Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). This can also include referrals from Community Mental Health Teams across Edinburgh and the Lothians. This is because we are a small service and we are trying to make sure that we are targeting our services at those in most need.
If you are interested in accessing arts psychotherapies, then probably the best route for you initially is to speak with your General Practitioner about your wellbeing and mental health. If they agree with you that a referral to your local Community Mental Health Team is appropriate then they will do this for you, and at that stage you could ask about Arts Psychotherapies.
If you have any queries about accessing our services then do please contact us
This is how it works
Arts Psychotherapists are psychological therapists who have arts based experience (Art, Music, Drama or Dance) plus training in psychological interventions, and are registered health professionals through the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Arts Psychotherapists support people to engage with the art form as a medium to communicate emotional experiences which may be distressing or hard to understand.
For example, an image or a musical interaction can hold deep meaning which, when explored with the therapist, can help a person with complex difficulties make sense of their experience, feel heard and understood and have a sense of agency in their own recovery.
The creative focus also offers an opportunity to try taking a flexible approach to situations and move away from rigid thinking.
When to consider Arts Psychotherapies
Arts Psychotherapists work with people of all ages and abilities at all stages of life across a variety services.
Arts Psychotherapies may be considered as an intervention for people who find it hard to identify or articulate their difficulties and therefore may struggle to access the support which suits their needs. It may also be helpful for people that find the interpersonal proximity involved in psychological treatments difficult to sustain.
If you are a clinician and interested in how the Arts Psychotherapies may help people you already support then please do get in touch with our team so that we can discuss the possibility of treatment. Our service is arranged by Teams that support Inpatient, Community based patients, and Children and Young People. Contact our Team Leads
Feedback from service users
I was able to feel more at ease in myself sharing difficult memories and helping me process this. I feel listened to and not judged.
patient experience
By having that space to explore emotions and using materials to express myself – it freed up head space over time which helped me to focus on myself and recovery.
patient experience
It has not only enabled some patients to be engaged therapeutically where otherwise they may not have, but also provided some insight into patients experience which we otherwise would not have known to think about in our approach.
Senior Charge Nurse, Acute Psychiatry
After a very long period of very low self-esteem, I feel when I create, I have a sense of achievement, not judging what I’ve made as good/bad. This is helping me be a bit more confident in doing other things too.
patient experience
It has made me more mindful of my negative thoughts and try and address
patient experience
them before they overwhelm me. I have learned to listen to others more and respect their feelings and not take everything personally.
