Inclusion of open studio art therapy at Butler Hospital

This paper defines open studio art therapy. It will explore the benefits and limitations of open studio art therapy, focusing on the addition of an open studio art therapy group to Butler Hospital’s cognitive behavioral therapy partial hospitalization program. Among the many programs offered at Butler Hospital, the cognitive behavioral therapy partial hospitalization program (CBT PHP) is a short-term intensive program that focuses on the use of CBT skills in the alleviation of psychiatric symptoms. The addition of open studio art therapy to this program was intended to increase clients’ ability to process information and to provide space for expression and relaxation. This paper will share the writer’s personal experience in adding open studio art therapy to Butler Hospital’s CBT PHP.