Handbook of Inquiry in the Arts Therapies

This book is an achievement which goes above and beyond my expectations. It is nothing less than a physiognomy of arts therapies research in Britain today, warts and all.

This book is the first serious and thorough compilation of British arts therapies research. It includes both quantitative and qualitative studies on a wide variety of topics across the arts therapies, drama therapy, art therapy, dance/movement therapy and music therapy. Even more importantly, it includes many reflections on the nature of the research process itself and how far it fits with the nature of therapy - there is a strong theme of attention to methodology running through the whole of the book. All the authors have been honest enough to include discussion of setbacks and flaws in their research and these have been most useful in illuminating important aspects of methodology. It is essential reading for all those involved in arts therapies research or those contemplating undertaking such research. This book is an exciting milestone in the emerging history of the arts therapies and hopefully lays the groundwork for future work in this field.

The authors of this very useful book have a vast wealth of knowledge of such situations through their daily experiences, and they relate them through several chapters the majority of which concentrate upon the field of infancy and family relationships. Included here are the rights of the child and of its parents, the uses and abuses of psychiatric care, confidentiality, social and institutional abuses.

A recommended asset for students, music therapists and all arts therapy practitioners.