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There is a broad range of both usage and definitions of creative activities within occupational therapy, which often includes elements of creative art and craft. These activities have been especially prominent in stimulating creative processes and could positively influence individual’s health and wellbeing Arts, crafts and creative activities. It is important to remember that the experience of being creative can occur in all daily occupations, not only while performing activities that traditionally have been associated with arts and crafts.
It is impossible to list all the activities that could be included under this heading.
The following list gives some examples – there are many more.
Creative writing
Painting and printing: Marbling, printing, string painting, calligraphy, stencilling, silk painting, paint effects, glass painting (producing light catchers to hang at windows).
Papier mâché: Use to model objects that can be painted and varnished
Photography
Paper activities: Decoupage, collage (using magazine cuttings or old greetings cards), making cards, quilling.
Textiles: Making wall hangings, collages. Needlecrafts: Cross-stitch, patchwork, quilting, tapestry, knitting, crochet, rug making.
Pottery: Use air-drying clay if you have no access to a kiln.
Woodwork: Kits to make bird tables, toys, models.
Digital crafting - group Minecraft build
Typical aims of creative groups:
Typical aims of creative groups:
To provide opportunities for patients to practice and develop their social interaction skills with peers and staff in an informal, fun and relaxed environment.
To increase an individual’s tolerance and awareness of others
To build confidence and self-esteem by engaging in an enjoyable group activity
To enable people to explore and experiment through the use of creative activity
To provide recreational activity of interest to support the development of a weekly, balanced activity structure and routine (Occupational patterns)
To support cognitive and process function such as concentration, planning, sequencing etc within a group setting
To allow for observation for behaviour, skills and mental state during session to contribute to effective assessment and treatment planning of individuals.
To enable participation of patients within a social group which does not focus on patient-related issues
Benefits of creative groups
Benefits of creative groups
1) Completion of art activities both individually and as part of a group
2) Sense of achievement as a result of session
3) Improved confidence and self-esteem
4) Improved knowledge and skills related to art skills
5) Improve functional skills
6) Participants will be prepared to attend community art groups
7) Improved social skills
Below are some of the other OT skills which you might also be addressing or need to consider within an OT task orientated creative group - click into each picture to find out more.
Below is an example of using creative writing as a therapeutic task orientated OT group.
Creative writing
Creative writing
Therapeutic writing can be used as a tool in occupational therapy intervention to establish and restore well-being through the facilitation of self-awareness, cathartic disclosure of events, peer support and social interaction.
What is creative writing?
Creative writing is, writing that expresses ideas and thoughts in an imaginative way. The writer is able to express feelings and emotions instead of just presenting the facts.
An example is shown below of some creative writing completed related to feelings of anxiety.
Activity
Activity
Task
Task
In a group have a go at writing your own collective poem about anxiety or depression - each person writes one line passes the poem on to the next group member.
The Tree Theme Method
The Tree Theme Method
The Tree Theme Method (TTM) is designed for a client-centred occupational therapy group context, and it aims to increase the ability to cope with, and to enhance satisfaction with everyday life. it has been used and has research to support its use with people experiencing a range of different mental health conditions.
The TTM is based on art therapy and life story telling, i.e. occupational storytelling and occupational story making, with a focus on activities in everyday life.
When the patient tells their life story it is also a way to reflect how to act and explain why they act in a specific way in a specific situation and context.
This will lead to a possibility to experience life in coherence and to master everyday life.
In a group of patients with depression and/or anxiety disorders for example , the intervention showed positive significant changes in everyday life, psychological symptoms, and health-related aspects, and both patients and therapists were satisfied with the intervention.
In the TTM is typically delivered in 5 sessions.
The first four sessions starts with a progressive relaxation in which a specific theme is introduced, and the patient paints a symbolic tree.
This picture is then used as a starting point for patients to tell their life stories, focusing on everyday activities. This part of the intervention constitutes a reflective dialogue between the patient and the occupational therapist aimed at identifying necessary changes in the patient’s life.
The theme of the tree differs from one session to the next, and each tree represents a particular period of life: the present, childhood, adolescence, adulthood.
In the fifth session, the focus is on story making and on shaping plans for the future.
Evidence Based Practice
Occupational Therapy practice needs to be led by evidence.
This is a list of relevant scientific research and articles relevant to group work in mental health settings
Please take the time to familiarise yourself with the research base in order to provide the most up-to-date care to your patients.
Relevant articles
Relevant articles
Rombough, K. (2017). The" write" way: Creative writing as a school-based approach to treat childhood and adolescent anxiety (Doctoral dissertation, Queen's University (Canada)).
Gunnarsson, A. B., Wagman, P., Håkansson, C., & Hedin, K. (2015). The Tree Theme Method®(TTM), an occupational therapy intervention for treating depression and anxiety: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial. BMC psychology, 3, 1-7.
They’re, W. A. W. W. (2024). Writing and Anxiety. The Scholarship of Creative Writing Practice: Beyond Craft, Pedagogy, and the Academy, 143.
Thompson, M., & Blair, S. E. (1998). Creative arts in occupational therapy: ancient history or contemporary practise?. Occupational Therapy International, 5(1), 48-64.
Birgitta Gunnarsson, A., Wagman, P., Hedin, K., & Håkansson, C. (2018). Treatment of depression and/or anxiety–outcomes of a randomised controlled trial of the tree theme method® versus regular occupational therapy. BMC psychology, 6, 1-10.
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