Towards developing best practice guidelines for Arts Therapists working outside of private practice: Insights from a scoping review of South African practice

Abstract

Guidelines for best practice are systematically developed recommendations to optimise service user care. Our purpose in this study was to explore how to develop best practice guidelines for art therapists working outside of private practice settings in South Africa. We conducted a scoping review of research on art therapy, drama therapy, and music therapy outside of private practice in South Africa from 2013 to 2023. (No relevant papers related to dance/movement therapy were identified). Based on the themes we developed from analysing the literature, we propose and discuss five guidelines for arts therapies best practice when working outside of private practice settings: (1) It is essential to build one’s contextual knowledge continuously and to work in and with that context; (2) To work outside of private practice settings as an arts therapist requires the skills and willingness to engage in wise, humble, strategic and collaborative relationship-building with a range of partners; (3) ​​To work outside of private practice settings as an arts therapist requires intricately multifaceted reflexive and responsive thinking and practice; (4) The ability to draw on the arts as a highly flexible resource is essential; and (5) To work outside of private practice settings as an arts therapist necessitates creative, optimistic, macro and micro problem-solving. We unpack the rationale for each guideline and reflect on their practical applications. We acknowledge the unique aspects of our context whilst arguing that lessons could be learned from studying the work occurring here that may be useful for others in their contexts.