Use of Creative Arts in Social Care

937 Words4 Pages
“The use of arts can deliver profound benefits for social care workforce, in particular challenging preconceptions on the abilities and talents of people with a range of conditions or needs” The recovery approach is increasingly recognised in mental health in the last few years .The notion of “recovery” has being embraced by my chosen placement Threshold Training Network (TTN)which supports people with mental health difficulties integrate back into society by incorporating a philosophy of education ,hope ,self-advocacy ,personal responsibility and support .Here TTN staff are aware and some have personal experience of the feelings of despair and hopelessness that accompanies mental health difficulties .This hopelessness is often exacerbated by the low expectations and therapeutic pessimism of services as well as by the stigma and discrimination frequently associated with mental health difficulties .(Dunn 1999) In TTN hope is viewed as a “lifesaving force”(Russinova 1999) and recovery can be viewed as a reawakening of hope after despair (Ridgeway 2001) The importance of having a sense of hope for the future has seen to evoke a sense of personal responsibility(Copeland 1989) ,development of self-advocacy(Ridgeway 2001,Onken et al 2002) rebuilding support networks(Repper&Perkins 2003) ,a purpose and meaning(Turner-Crowson&Wallcraft 2002) in life’s well as a sense of “the possible”. TTN is very interested in creative arts such as art, drama and storytelling to build on the natural strengths of each individual. Here the aim of creative arts is to boost self-confidence and self-esteem and concentration, to help people gain self-awareness and communicate better with others whilst reducing feelings of isolation and exclusion .(National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health ,2010)The very process of creation involves self-exploration and can be both empowering and
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