The Arts Psychotherapies Service offers arts-based psychological therapies across NHS Lothian in Community, Inpatient and Children and Young Peoples Services.
We deliver psychological therapies in line with the Scottish Government Core Mental Health Quality Standards
Our Aims
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 people 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.
Our Values
We want to deliver the right person-centred care, at the right time for patients
We want to combat health inequalities by providing accessible psychological interventions which are not reliant on patients being able to find the right words for the right help. This may include patients who are unable to access more verbal forms of talking therapy.
We are relational therapists and encourage relational thinking and awareness for our patients, based on the belief that mutually satisfying relationships with others are necessary for one’s emotional well-being
We will always work collaboratively with families and carers, and with colleagues in our Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDTs) to provide an additional perspective and insight to support holistic care planning. We will nurture alliance with Arts in Health and Wellbeing Providers and our other professional partners for the benefit of patients and staff.
We will promote (Mental Health) Literacy with arts based psychological learning groups, psychological education and arts based self-care resources that enable recovery and connections beyond our services
We are committed to co-design and co-deliver our services with people with lived experience of our services
Our Capacity & Governance
Our team of 36 Arts Psychotherapists (comprising Art Psychotherapy, Music Therapy, Dramatherapy and Play Therapy) are based across the Lothians and work in services focused on the following groups of patients :
Community Services |Those people living at home and accessing mental health services in the community
Inpatient Services |Those people staying in hospital where they access inpatient mental health services
Children and Young Peoples Services | Children and Young People staying in hospital and those at home in the community
For details of where we are located, please use the list below.
- Our Team Leadership
- Our Team in Edinburgh
- Our Team in East Lothian
- Our Team in Midlothian
- Our Regional Team
We also host a pool of Arts Pschotherapies Bank Staff (often recent graduates who have been on placement in NHS Lothian) who can respond to external or additional contracts and tenders (schools, Local Authorities, other NHS Health Boards) and to deliver Test of Change and Pilot Projects.
NHS Lothian is committed to providing learning opportunities and we therefore host a range of Student Graduate Placements providing excellent learning opportunities, creating work force opportunities and enhancing service delivery by 50% for six months of each year (WTE 5 per annum) for approximately 10 student placements. Therefore some care may be provided by an Arts Therapies student under supervision.
Quality Assurance & Governance
Arts Psychotherapists are trained to Masters level and must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Telephone: 0845 300 4472.
Arts Psychotherapists (Art, Music and Drama) practice must meet HCPC Standards of proficiency as well being compliant with relevant NHS and National policies.
In line with NHS Lothian Values we embrace Teamwork to provide an Open, Honest, Responsible High Quality services for the communities we serve. We support personal Recovery, Wellbeing and Social Inclusion and Independent Living through treating those who access our services with Care, Compassion, Dignity and Respect.
For further information on specific professions please contact the professional bodies:
British Association of Art Therapy (BAAT)
British Association of Music Therapy (BAMT)
