ABM Arts Therapies Service

The focus of the Arts Therapies department is on supporting clients with learning disabilities who are having difficulties coping with life.

This can be for various reasons, such as mental health needs, bereavement or loss, coping with traumatic events recent or in the past, relationship difficulties or change.

Often people are referred when their behaviour causes concern. They work with the client to understand what might be behind the behaviour, addressing the underlying needs.

They are called arts therapies because they use the creative modalities of art, drama and music to facilitate the therapeutic relationship. This means that the therapy is not reliant on verbal skills nor cognitive reasoning, although the verbal and cognitive can play a part.