Creative Arts Therapy with Thailand’s Mobile Arts Therapy Group

Abstract

This article describes the variety of therapeutic creative arts sessions conducted bythe all volunteer Mobile Arts Therapy group (MAT) during Thailand’s unrelenting"ood crisis of 2011-12. The MAT group concentrated their efforts in the Bangkokregion’s "ood relief centers and was comprised of students from ChulalongkornUniversity, Bangkok University, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang,and Srinakarinwirot University as well as artists from the James H.W. ThomsonFoundation. Additionally, as normal modes of communication, organization, andtransportation were severely "ood impaired, the social media tool 6%>/G&&) wasrecruited as the central communication medium for organizing the volunteers.The creative arts therapy activities included the drawing of facial expressions,mime, drama, and improvisation, 3D modeling, handicrafts, singing and theplaying of musical instruments. The anecdotal feedback from session participantsincluded a marked reduction in anxiety with an increase in a sense of communalbelonging.