Authors put mental health trust at forefront of research into inpatient arts therapies

The book cover with inset pictures of the two authors

The importance of art therapy and the arts in mental health care is the subject of a new book edited by an art therapist and an expert by experience from Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT).

Art Therapy in In-Patient Settings - the Legacy of Edward Adamson has been edited by Maggie Batchelar, East Suffolk Lead Arts Psychotherapist, and Andrew Colley, who has lived experience of mental health services.

Maggie said: “Andrew and I have been working for over two years with 16 arts therapists from the UK and Australia to bring this book to fruition and we are very proud of its potential contribution to the continuing development of art therapy in mental health care and inpatient services specifically.”

Andrew, from Haverhill, said: “The book is a celebration of the unique and lasting impact of art therapy in inpatient settings, and it places NSFT at the forefront of contemporary research into arts therapies.”

The new book will be published on 5 May by international publishers Routledge and builds on themes raised in Andrew’s previous book In-Patient Mental Health Care from the Asylum System to the Present Day - a lived experience of policy and practice.

There will be online launch events at 10am and 6pm on Thursday 18 June, and in person events are planned for the coming months to mark the publication of the book. Maggie, Andrew and many of the chapter authors will be talking about the book and about the role of art therapy in inpatient settings.

Maggie and Andrew first met in 2021 when Andrew raised money for a project to install artworks at Wedgwood House in Bury St Edmunds and Woodlands in Ipswich. This led to a collaboration on Andrew’s previous book, which drew on his experience as a service user with NSFT.

Andrew’s book also discussed his experience of art therapy at Netherne Hospital in 1985. “This led Maggie and myself to put together a proposal to Routledge on this and, after two years of hard work, the book is about to be published.”

The book brings together the voices of academics, art psychotherapists and service users to explore the contemporary impact of Edward Adamson’s pioneering art therapy work over more than three decades at Netherne and its vital contribution to patient experience and recovery.

Chapters include the role of the art therapist, art therapy in forensic settings and the value of art therapy in supporting the wellbeing of staff. The book also gives senior leaders an opportunity to understand the contribution of arts therapists to improving the quality of care for service users and staff.

CEO Caroline Donovan said: “It is a real credit to the Trust that this work has been developed by colleagues associated with NSFT and reflects such depth of expertise, commitment and scholarship in the field of mental health care and art therapy.”

Maggie said she had also established a national Special Interest Group with her professional body, The British Association of Art Therapists, focusing on inpatient art therapy, to develop best practice guidelines, which fits with NSFT’s focus on Culture of Care.

Free online launch events:

There are special free online events to celebrate the launch of “Art Therapy in In-Patient Settings - the Legacy of Edward Adamson”, on Thursday 18 June at 10am and 6pm. These events will explore the pioneering work of Edward Adamson (1911-1996) and its enduring impact on art therapy in in-patient settings today. The launch will also feature: