Arts Therapies

Arts therapy groups were described by participants as enjoyable and fun, and the engagement involved could distract from pain because attention was absorbed by the activity. Participants' choices among art, music, and dance-movement therapy modalities were strongly shaped by what they felt physically capable of doing. Twice-weekly attendance was demanding for many participants with MLTCs, and most favoured one longer session per week as an alternative. Art therapy was often perceived as more manageable than other modalities because it could be done seated. Some participants chose dance-movement therapy because they hoped it would support both physical and mental health, not only as a psychological intervention.