Manisha Sanghavi initiates the ‘creative art therapy awards’ to celebrate art therapists  ”

In 2017, Sancheti Healthcare Academy (SHA) launched its certification programme in dance/movement therapy to care for patients and help them discover creative art therapies as a way for holisting healingManisha Sanghavi, in a quest to find and honour therapeutic use of arts has initiated the Creative Art Therapy Awards. In 2017, Sancheti Healthcare Academy (SHA) launched its certification programme in dance/movement therapy. Their quest for the best possible care for patients, helped them discover creative art therapies as a way for holisting healing.Manisha Sanghavi, Executive Director, Sancheti Group said,“The use of dance, drama, art and music as a medium to heal is as old as our scriptures, yet has very little value today. This prompted us to launch our dance theory programme and build on therapeutic use of arts. We further discovered that so many selfless souls had dedicated their lives to combining creative art therapies with health care, which had shown phenomenal success in mental and physical health of people and we thought we should recognise their work with the creative art therapy awards.”She believes that these awards will open a new door of reassurance to the field of work, bring pride to the fraternity apart from a renewed sense of purpose to continue with their outstanding efforts. Sanghavi added that the categories will include expressive arts therapies that are defined as the use of art, music, drama, dance/movement, poetry/creative writing, bibliotherapy, play, and sand-play within the context of psychotherapy, counselling, rehabilitation or medicine. Sanghavi said, “For many years now, art, artists and therapists are not given due importance and they are not even considered as important subjects in schools.Creative art therapists have given their life’s sweat, effort and learnings to help make the society a better place. They have toiled as hard as a medical professional, if not more, to bring wellness to the community. These Awards will recognise the silent heroes.”Awardees will include those who have provided care and committed their lives towards creating social impact. “These awards will give an entire fraternity of therapists a refuelling towards their purpose. The awardees will receive a trophy and certificate from SHA, an opportunity to talk about their work to an august audience.”