Explore how complementary tools are being used in conjunction with traditional therapy.

Have you heard of alternative treatments or has someone you know opted for them? In the recent past, there has been an increase in individuals opting for a more holistic approach to mental health services, going beyond the traditional techniques that stem from either psychiatry or psychology. These non-conventional approaches are referred to as Complementary or Alternative Medicine.

According to the World Health Organization, complementary or alternative medicine includes but is not limited to various practices ranging from spiritual therapy to manual therapy or exercises as well as plant, animal or mineral-based medicines. In fact, according to US statistics from 2007, approximately 38% of adults and 11% of children have used at least a form of complementary or alternative medicine.

Although complementary and alternative are used synonymously, there is a difference between the two approaches. Complementary medicine refers to treatment/interventions that can be used alongside traditional practices. On the other hand, alternative medicines are used instead of traditional practices such as choosing to forego surgery in favour of using homoeopathic medicine. Through this article, we are going to focus specifically on complementary approaches to therapy.

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Types of Complementary Therapy

a. Art Therapy

b. Dance Therapy

c. Music Therapy

d. Mindfulness-based Meditation Therapy

e. Aromatherapy

Types of Complementary Therapy

a. Art Therapy

Do you enjoy doing mandalas? Interestingly, they along with some others are the most commonly used art techniques in therapy. For a long time, art has been used as a way for individuals to express their innermost thoughts and feelings. The incorporation of art into therapy, however, is a relatively recent development and can be traced back to the 20th century. The term art therapy was first coined by Adrian Hill who found painting and drawing to have health benefits while recovering from tuberculosis.

Art therapy was founded on the assumption that all of us are creative and capable of some kind of self-expression. It gives us an avenue to bring to the forefront our feelings or thoughts that we may otherwise not be able to express. Art therapy connects the mind, body and spirit in ways that verbal communication alone cannot. As we previously mentioned art therapy includes multiple forms of art such as mandalas, zentangles, and zendalas to name a few.

Research has found that art therapy can not only serve as a tool that enhances the process of therapy. It has also been observed to aid in the process of diagnosing as well as provide information that may otherwise not have been noticed through traditional methods alone.

For instance, among prison inmates, the use of art therapy has been shown to alleviate the symptoms of depression. In addition to that, studies also show that among those who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, a 3-week art therapy results in improved facial expressions, discourse content and mood.

b. Dance Therapy

Dance or movement therapy (DMT) is a form of psychotherapy as it allows the individual to delve deeper into the interaction of their social, emotional, cognitive and physical facets through a lens of creativity. The process of DMT focuses on aspects of dance such as breathing, gesturing and rhythm to signify imagery and metaphors. For example, using dance or movement to symbolize a particular meaning or symbol. DMT, like art therapy, allows for non-verbal expression.

Research has found that DMT has a significant effect on a range of symptoms and was particularly effective in reducing levels of anxiety. Recent literature suggests that DMT can increase the quality of life as well as decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety.

But why does DMT seem to have a positive effect on symptoms of mental health illnesses? One potential reason could be that DMT is a type of physical activity, though a little less strenuous than your typical workout session, upon frequent practice, allows us to enjoy its benefits.

c. Music Therapy

Although music is an essential part of dance and can be incorporated into DMT or vice versa, it can also be used as a stand-alone complementary therapy on its own. Music therapy refers to making use of the positive effects of listening to music to help individuals work on improving their mental health and their overall well-being. Therapists can either take an active approach wherein individuals are encouraged to create music and write songs or take on a much more passive approach like listening to music. Therapists can also opt to create a more holistic approach by combining both active and passive approaches together.

Research findings suggest that music therapy is an effective tool for individuals with depression when combined with the more traditional approaches to treating the illness. It has also been found to be effective in reducing the effects of insomnia which is often considered a symptom of depression. In addition to the above, studies also suggest that music therapy influences our physical well-being such as pain management among both children as well as adults.

d. Mindfulness-based Meditation Therapy

Have you tried meditating before? How do you feel as you finish a session? Meditation is the intentional process of shifting the focus from the outside world to the individual - renouncing any biases - as a means to facilitate personal change. It encourages us to have an open mind and become more aware of ourselves diverting our attention away from the challenges we may currently be facing. Many mental health practitioners introduce some form of meditation in their sessions with their clients. This comes as no surprise as meditation, or rather the process of meditation is similar to that of psychotherapy.

Using meditation as part of a therapy session has been found to reduce symptoms of anxiety and improve moods among individuals clinically diagnosed with anxiety and mood disorders. Other recent research has found that meditation as a complementary therapy helps prevent the relapse of depression and anxiety.

e. Aromatherapy

Is there a particular scent that instantly relaxes you? I particularly find lavender oil to do the trick for me.

Aromatherapy is when we make use of natural scents or essences from plants, to help enhance the balance in both our physical and mental well-being. Research findings have found that aromatherapy can be used in order to reduce pain, stress and anxiety. Among patients with coronary artery disease, lavender oil was found to increase the quality of sleep and lower levels of anxiety. In fact, the market for aromatherapy has grown exponentially with companies like Rituals and Bath and Body Works, introducing their own versions of aromatherapy.

These are just a few of the more commonly used complementary therapies that are integrated into mental health services. Despite the research on the aforementioned complementary therapies and their benefits, there is still insufficient evidence to strongly back up the effectiveness and efficiency of using them among clinical populations other than depression and anxiety. Nonetheless, most practitioners are open to many of these complementary therapies as long as they are used in combination with the conventional forms of therapy.