The creative arts as an intervention tool for clients with bipolar disorder : Madness or an eye opener for social workers?

Abstract: Adaptability and cultural competency are core qualities that concern the profession of social work. The primary goal for a social worker is to enhance human well-being and improve for all sorts of complex and basic needs. The aim of this study was to investigate social workers attitudes regarding humanistic creative art as an intervention tool for clients with bipolar disorder. The main focus was to investigate how these approaches could be applied internationally and if it could affect stigmatization.  The social workers had various experiences and came from Sweden, Finland/Australia and Nepal. The study was conducted through qualitative research with an inductive thematic analysis, data collection and semi structured interviews. Two theories were applied in order to interpret the results: Erving Goffman’s stigma theory and Carl Rogers’ person centered therapy theory, combined with Natalie Rogers’ person centered expressive arts. The results showed that humanistic art approaches aims for connectedness and could function as an intervention tool. The results also showed a fear of accidentally exacerbating mania and inexperience with bipolar disorder.