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 help people manage how they respond to difficult emotions so they can build kinder and more trusting relationships with themselves and others, feel safer in relationships, and lead more fulfilling lives
As relational psychotherapists we use arts based activities within a therapeutic framework to help people see themselves and others differently. We aim to help people handle difficult emotions better and therefore have kinder and more trusting relationships with themselves and others, to feel safer in relationships and lead more fulfilling lives.
We help people of all ages and abilities who find it hard to use words to describe or understand their feelings. This is especially useful when emotions are too confusing or overwhelming to talk about. Because of this, they might struggle to explain their problems and get the support they need. This often includes people who have experienced significant adverse life experiences, have mental illness or disabilities, or have been diagnosed with a personality disorder.
The art form supports a therapeutic framework that helps people connect and build trust, which they can then use in their daily lives. This trust can impact their ability to make decisions and how they interact with others. We offer psychological therapy that focuses on the individual, either in group sessions or one-on-one, depending on what the patients need. We often use a treatment called Mentalization Based Treatment (MBT), which works well for many of our patients.
Our Values
We want to deliver person-centred care, that matches individual health needs.
We will provide 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, where mutually satisfying relationships with others are necessary for emotional well-being
We will always collaborate with families and carers, and our Multi-Disciplinary collagues to provide an additional perspective and insight to support well-rounded 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 and self-awareness through psychological education groups, and in the use of arts based self-care resources that enable people to find recovery and connections in their own community beyond our services
We are committed to co-design and co-deliver our services with people with lived experience of using mental health 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)
