OUTsiderburg

The article considers arts therapies as special area of academic science having connections with various sciences. Author emphasises that arts therapies are currently on the crucial stage of their development and their contribution to different areas of practice becomes more valuable. At the same time her idea is that arts therapies better integration into academic science, more active research and developing theory become crucial. She briefly presents some findings from her own study connected to her individual arts therapy based on the use of guided imagery, artistic expression, music and movement with children with social anxiety disorder.

The article discusses the role of the Polish Association of Music Therapists, a member of European Music Therapy Federation, in the development of arts therapies in Poland. It presents some facts indicating of the increasing interest in the therapeutic potential of music in the Polish society since 1970-s, growing number of licensed music therapists, scientific and institutional collaboration in the field of arts therapies in Poland in general. Main stages of historical development of music therapy in Poland and its current issues in the context of European integration and professional recognition in this field are presented.