Postpartum Depression: Healing through Archetypes and the Expressive Arts Therapies

This thesis is a literature review investigating treating postpartum depression through the expressive arts therapies and feminine archetypes. The expressive arts therapies explored for treatment are dance, music, art, and drama. Meditation, mindfulness, and writing are also included. The importance of expressive arts therapies in treating postpartum depression is of interest now because of the increasing number of mothers who experience postpartum depression who are looking for alternatives to treatment beyond, or complementing, traditional talk therapy and medication. A search for literature on treating postpartum depression with expressive arts therapies and archetypes was conducted on-line using the Lesley University database. This research provides resources for women who are seeking to overcome postpartum depression in increasingly creative ways. The author will be presenting recommendations for incorporating this creativity in the lives of mothers. Recommendations for incorporating expressive arts therapy interventions for treating postpartum depression will include examples of integrating feminine archetypes for healing