Intermodal Expressive Arts Therapies refers to the combined use of theater & storytelling, movement & dance, visual arts including photography, music, and creative writing/poetry together as a form of therapeutic support and intervention. This page began as a way to advertize the first intermodal expressive arts course in the Netherlands in February of 2012. The focus has now explanded to include
all forms of information around the topic, including any future training courses (here in NL, in Europe and across the world). Who is this page for:
Therapists, Psychologists, Teachers, Students in training for Individual Creative Therapies, Social Workers, School Counselors, Medical Practitioners, Artists, Yoga & Body Awareness Teachers, Grief Counselors, Creative Therapies Practitioners, Peace Builders, Conflict Resolution/Mediators, Youth Workers...
Background information:
Individual forms of art therapy such as Drama Therapy or Dance Therapy have been steadily gaining in popularity and use in many parts of the world over the past 50 years, however, intermodal expressive arts is a newer, less known system/philosophy (it is most closely related to Creatief Therapy in the Netherlands). Using expressive arts as a way of shaping our world, to communicate deep emotion, as containment for loss & suffering and as a vehicle for transformation seems uniquely human and practically programmed into our development. Creative/expressive art therapies taps into this natural inclination through the use of metaphor and symbolism and offers endless opportunities for dialogue, strengthening of personal and community awareness & growth, and provides a perfect toolkit for modern culture in the areas of educational, therapeutic and transformative practices. The expressive arts are appropriate and effective in a great range of circumstances and situations where normal verbal skills may not be possible or appropriate (physical or emotional trauma, learning disabilities, young children etc.).
