During Creative Therapy Week, I had the chance to explore different forms of therapy, such as Dance Movement Therapy, Music Therapy, Art Therapy, and Drama Therapy. I learned how innovative therapies can help us express our inner thoughts and feelings through creative means such as art and music. Art therapy, in particular, is a powerful technique that uses creative expression to address psychological disorders and improve mental health. It recognises the healing potential of the arts, allowing patients to communicate, express themselves, and find comfort through artistic expression. As a nursing student, it is essential to approach patients with mental health conditions with respect and acceptance. My experiences taught me how to create a safe, nonjudgmental relationship with patients, allowing for effective communication and comfortable silence. This has helped me better understand their experiences and grow professionally. As student nurses, we must use our internal creative resources to understand better and serve our patients, develop nonverbal communication skills, maintain a nonjudgmental attitude, and understand their unique capabilities and potential. Building trust between patients and their families is also essential, and open communication is vital. By focusing on the patient’s needs, healthcare providers can be resilient to challenges not centred on the patient’s well-being.

Music therapy has been shown to have many benefits, including reducing blood pressure and depression, contributing to self-discovery, heightened awareness, increased self-esteem, and enjoyment of life. Individuals with chronic conditions may benefit from listening to self-selected background music, which can reduce negative behaviours like agitation and aggression and promote positive behaviours like eye contact and smiling. Advocacy for music therapy has helped me understand its positive impact on patients. While it may not improve long-term survival rates for cancer patients, it has been found to have short-term benefits, such as lessening the need for pain medication and reducing rates of depression and sleeplessness in specific individuals. Music therapy is a fast-expanding area in which music interventions are utilised to achieve goals in therapeutic interaction. It has been shown to help patients express their feelings, manage stress, promote well-being, relieve pain, improve memory, and improve communication.

Music comprises two essential elements, rhythm and melody, which are natural human capabilities. Music therapy is a simple and easily accessible treatment that can assist with various health issues, including pain management, emotional regulation, and interpersonal difficulties. Nurses use emotional intelligence, which encompasses personal and social competencies, to provide compassionate care to patients and their families. While nursing courses prioritise cognitive and physical skills, they do not always provide opportunities to cultivate these critical personal and social qualities necessary for effective practice.

Reflecting on the benefits of Art therapy, it is evident that it has aided student nurses and mental health patients in effective communication. Art therapy has enabled a comfortable silence between the two parties, fostering a secure and nonjudgmental alternative. This has helped student nurses overcome their apprehension of speaking while patients can express their emotions and share their experiences. As a result, student nurses have developed a better understanding of mental health patients and have grown professionally by acquiring more efficient techniques for gathering information. Incorporating art therapy into baccalaureate nursing education may improve the therapeutic relationship between student nurses and mental health patients. Art therapy promotes self-expression and fosters trust between the patient and the nurse through comfortable silence. It also helps to improve the communication skills of student nurses. Overall, this placement supports art therapy as a valuable nursing tool and a deliberate communication strategy in nursing education to promote professional development and prepare students for nursing practice demands.