Arts in Healing | Creative Arts Therapy
Art Therapy • Music Therapy • Dance / Movement Therapy
Founded in 2018, MUSC Arts in Healing provides access to the inherent healing power of the arts to support the health and well-being of patients, families, and communities across South Carolina. Our clinical services are grounded in evidence-based practice and delivered by credentialed creative arts therapists across inpatient and outpatient settings.
Creative arts therapy offers individuals a way to express, process, and heal—especially when words are difficult to find. Through artmaking, music, and movement, patients of all ages are supported in exploring emotions, building coping skills, and improving overall well-being within a therapeutic relationship.
Creative arts therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses creative expression to support emotional, physical, cognitive, and social health. At MUSC Health, our therapists integrate clinical expertise with the expressive process to help individuals:
- Improve coping and emotional regulation
- Process trauma, illness, and life transitions
- Build self-awareness and resilience
- Strengthen communication and relationships
No prior experience or artistic ability is required.
Our Modalities
Across all modalities, services are delivered along the continuum of care, from bedside interventions in acute medical settings to therapeutic support in outpatient and community-based environments.
Art therapy is a mental health profession that integrates psychotherapeutic approaches with the creative process to support psychological, emotional, and physiological well-being. Services are provided by master’s-level clinicians with specialized training in art therapy who function as part of the interdisciplinary care team.
Through individualized assessment and treatment planning, art therapy interventions help patients externalize and process internal experiences, improve insight, develop adaptive coping strategies, and support affect regulation. Art therapy is delivered across both inpatient medical settings and outpatient care, supporting individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, chronic illness, pain, and adjustment to acute or long-term health conditions. Interventions may also support family engagement and caregiver coping.
Music therapy is a clinical, evidence-based practice in which trained clinicians use music interventions to address individualized therapeutic goals. Music therapists assess patient needs and implement interventions such as improvisation, songwriting, receptive listening, and active music-making to support physical, emotional, cognitive, and social functioning.
Music therapy services are provided in both inpatient and outpatient settings, where they are integrated into interdisciplinary care to assist with pain management, anxiety reduction, mood stabilization, procedural support, communication, and overall quality of life. Interventions are adapted to meet the needs of diverse patient populations across the continuum of care.
Dance / movement therapy is a psychotherapeutic modality that uses movement-based interventions to support the integration of emotional, cognitive, physical, and social functioning. Clinicians utilize the mind–body connection as a foundation for assessment and treatment.
Dance / movement therapy is offered in both inpatient and outpatient contexts, supporting individuals through movement-based approaches that enhance emotional expression, body awareness, regulation, and interpersonal connection. Interventions may include guided movement, somatic awareness, and nonverbal communication strategies, particularly for patients experiencing trauma, medical complexity, neurological conditions, and challenges related to embodiment and recovery.
Inpatient Services
Creative arts therapy is offered as a complimentary service for patients and families receiving care inpatient at MUSC Health.
Referrals can be made by a nurse or physician through an Art Therapy / Music Therapy / Dance-Movement Therapy order in EPIC.
For questions, contact: artsinhealing@musc.edu.
Outpatient Services
Individual, Family & Group Art Therapy
Outpatient art therapy is available at the Health and Wellness Institute in Mount Pleasant, SC. A credentialed therapist collaborates with clients to identify goals and guide the therapeutic process.
Client populations include:
- Children (4+)
- Teens
- Adults
- Families
Areas of focus include:
- Anxiety, depression, and trauma
- Chronic illness and pain
- Life transitions and grief
- Relationships and self-esteem
To begin, complete the Arts in Healing inquiry form.
Community Partnerships
Creative arts therapy services are delivered in partnership with nonprofit organizations and community agencies across South Carolina. These collaborations expand access to care by bringing direct clinical services into community-based settings.
Arts in Healing clinicians provide individual and group creative arts therapy sessions on-site, working with children, adolescents, and adults in environments where they already receive support. Services are tailored to the needs of each partner organization and population, supporting emotional well-being, coping, and resilience through evidence-based therapy interventions.
Arts in Healing also partners with businesses and professional organizations to provide workplace-based group services that support employee well-being, reduce burnout and compassion fatigue, and strengthen team cohesion through creative, therapeutic experiences.
School-Based Services: Creative Arts Therapy Initiative (CATI)
The Creative Arts Therapy Initiative (CATI) is a school-based program designed to increase access to mental health support for students. This initiative uses art therapy interventions to support emotional, social, and behavioral development and responds to the growing need for accessible, school-based care.
Arts in Healing clinicians provide direct, on-site individual and group art therapy services within school settings, working in collaboration with educators and support staff to meet the needs of students.
Grant funding opportunities may be available to support implementation of CATI services within schools and districts, helping to reduce barriers to access and expand the reach of this evidence-based program.
For questions, contact: artsinhealing@musc.edu.
