Creative arts therapies—using art, music, dance, drama, and other modalities to express and work through emotions and symptoms of mental health disorders—are being deployed across the U.S. to treat patients of all ages, including young adults. Research shows these therapies are effective in treating a variety of conditions. A critical review published in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry that examined 23 studies on creative arts therapies’ effectiveness in individuals under age 24 showed overwhelmingly positive results across the globe for mental health conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety.
Kasha Akhtar, a Northwestern graduate, started therapy in 2019 and incorporated art therapy beginning in 2020. She said she found art therapy helpful in allowing her to express feelings and process trauma. Participating in art therapy through programs at Compass Health Center in Northbrook during the anniversary of her mother’s death, art therapy helped her cope with heavy emotions. “I think for the first time in a long time, it allowed me to, while I was making art, cry and really actively grieve in the moment and really be in touch with my emotions,” she said. Akhtar participated in art therapy from 2020 to 2024.
How Creative Arts Therapy Works
The Institute for Therapy through the Arts, a nonprofit located in Evanston, deploys creative arts therapies to treat mental health conditions through art, music, drama, and dance and movement therapy. During intake sessions, clients engage with each modality offered to determine which feels most comfortable and expressive. Clare Burke, an art therapist and clinical manager of programs at ITA, explained that an average art therapy session begins with a check-in that could be verbal or artistic, such as asking a client to make a drawing representing something difficult from the past week. The therapist observes and chooses next steps based on the check-in. The session might end with a “check-out,” or brief reflection.
Burke emphasized that participants don’t need artistic skill. “You don’t have to be an artist. You don’t have to be a musician to be able to engage in these therapies, because nobody’s judging your skill. It’s about how you express yourself in the modality,” she said.
Music and Broader Applications
Dr. Borna Bonakdarpour, a professor at the Feinberg School of Medicine and neurologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, studies how music treatments improve patient outcomes. In 2021, he conducted a pilot study at Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s neurological unit offering patients 30-40 minute personalized live music sessions by a violist in consultation with a music therapist. The program was extremely successful, with 92% of participants reporting that it improved their emotional state. Creative arts therapies are also used to address symptoms from stroke, dementia, and aphasia. Bonakdarpour has worked with ITA to create the Musical Bridges to Memory program, providing interactive music sessions for dementia patients and families.
A limitation is accessibility—many insurance plans don’t cover creative arts therapies. ITA provides grants and financial assistance to help cover costs and is working toward accepting Medicaid plans.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://dailynorthwestern.com/2026/02/24/campus/mental-health-campus/how-creative-arts-therapies-are-helping-young-adults-face-mental-health-challenges/