Creative Arts Therapies for AMPS: Frequently Asked Questions

Helping your child focus on positive pursuits instead of their pain is the goal of creative arts therapies for youth with amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Art and music therapy can offer several benefits to patients – increasing their socialization, enjoyment in life and connection to others.

Below, we detail frequently asked questions about creative arts therapies as an enjoyable and beneficial element of treatment for AMPS.

What is music therapy and what is the goal of participation?

Music therapy is the use of music to help individuals with health and/or emotional problems. Music therapists at CHOP have a master’s degree in music therapy (including training in music and therapy) and are board-certified.

The goals of music therapy are to:

Promote wellness
Boost self-esteem
Manage stress
Increase socialization
Alleviate pain
Promote physical rehabilitation
Promote self-expression

What happens in music therapy?

All patients in the AMPS Program will receive music therapy on a group and/or individual basis.

Here are examples of the types of activities that patients may participate in during music therapy sessions:

Practicing relaxation techniques (imagery, deep breathing or listening to music)
Songwriting and music production
Recording or performing songs (individually or as a group)
Playing musical instruments
Lyric analysis and discussion
Musical improvisation
Learning and applying coping strategies

What is art therapy and what is the goal of participation?

Art therapy is the therapeutic use of making art to help individuals with health and/ or emotional problems. Art therapists at CHOP are healthcare professionals with a minimum of a master’s degree in art therapy (trained in art and therapy).

Art therapy is rarely about the finished product, but is more about the process of making the art. The goals of art therapy include:

Increase coping
Reduce stress
Facilitate self-expression
Heighten awareness of the mind-body connection
Enhance self-esteem
Promote a positive sense of body image
Increase overall wellness

What happens in art therapy?

All patients in the AMPS Program will receive art therapy on a group and/or individual basis. During these sessions, patients will likely find art to be healing, playful and therapeutic.

Here are examples of how patients may spend their time during art therapy sessions:

Creating art with a variety of media (sculpture, paintings, pastels, etc.)
Talking about the process of making art to express feelings
Decreasing pain through distraction
Learning how to reduce stress
Using the art process to develop insights about coping strategies
Making a Wellness Book of drawings, paintings and/or collages to be a supportive toolbox to take home when they complete the program