Integrating Expressive Arts Therapies into Facilitated Online Therapy Groups for Adults: A Review of the Literature

In early 2020, COVID-19 infections soared throughout the world, driving most group interactions online. Online adult Expressive Arts Therapy (EAT) groups faced unique challenges and opportunities, as the arts interventions did not always translate directly online without adaptations. In this literature review, this thesis focuses on how the specialization of Expressive Arts has been applied to these online adult therapy groups. Where the literature lacked references to the Expressive Arts specifically, the individual arts of Dance Movement Therapy (DMT), Expressive Writing (EW), Art Therapy, and Music Therapy were considered. This capstone thesis offers suggestions for areas of future research to include the use of Expressive Arts Therapies as ways to ameliorate challenges found in online therapy groups; to consider ways in which the use of online Expressive Arts Therapy groups might serve some populations better than in-person groups; and to apply the Expressive Therapies Continuum as a theoretical framework through which to reimagine Expressive Arts interventions with adult therapy clients in online settings