What is Creative Therapy?
It is a therapy that enables those with a life limiting illness, and their families, to tell the stories that matter through an art form of their choice - a photo-collage, a video, a book, a music CD, DVD, a poem, prose writing or a website.
What is the purpose of Creative Therapy?
We believe that those living with a life limiting illness can often feel isolated or distanced in our society. When faced with a terminal diagnosis people may surrender their careers and lose their sense of purpose. We hope that Creative Therapy enables people to discover a new sense of purpose through creative activity. Often people find their creative voice for the first time and a proud sense of self emerges.
What does working with a Creative Therapy artist involve?
Through conversations held in private people explore what it is that they wish to express and communicate. Working with the Artist in Residence, Hospice users are able to transform their emotions and thoughts into a finished artwork.
How does the Artwork get made?
The Hospice is equipped with a fully portable digital arts centre that can be set up anywhere within the Hospice - this includes computers with a high speed internet connection, cameras, scanners, printers etc - allowing users to produce artwork of the highest quality. This artwork is often made with an audience in mind, for example, this might simply be a message for a loved one, or this could be for a wider audience, shown at one of the twice yearly celebration events or on the Hospice website.
What if I have never been good at art or have no experience of computers?
This is the role of the Creative Therapy artist to help and facilitate your ideas, you can get as involved in the technical production as you wish, but you will always be in control of the artwork and will have full editorial and copyright control.
How can I get Involved?
Please contact:
Artist in Residence, Hugh Harwood in Day Therapy Centre
