Art and wellness: expressive arts as therapy in the Pacific context

Expressive arts have been used for therapeutic purposes for centuries, and today therapists use the arts to heal a range of recognised psychological problems. Many of the current commentaries and research reports have been concerned with children, adolescents, and adults who have been traumatised. However, there is minimal robust research and investigation into the efficacy of impacts and therefore detailed descriptions of programmes are needed. In this case study, a Sāmoan “art as therapy” programme is briefly outlined along with the research describing the outputs and outcomes. This was designed to assist 177 children traumatised by a tsunami in 2009. Using different modes of the arts, the children displayed their sorrow, disbelief, and anguish initially; then, as the programme developed, a noticeable improvement in mood was detected. Almost all of the children indicated that it was a beneficial programme. In addition to this, an evaluation study some years later indicated the worth of the programme as a means that provided immediate and long-term coping strategies. The implications, recommendations, and limits of the programme and research are discussed