Chennai: The Little Theatre ‘Center for Creative Therapy’, was inaugurated by Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, recently at the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children (ICH) at Egmore.
The studio is meant and designed to initiate art-based therapy for children who are hospitalised for a long period or are terminally ill.
“The idea is that it is not necessary that a patient should always be depressed,” says Nithya Venkatramani, an Expressive Arts trainee with the East and West Centre for Counselling, Chennai.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister said, “This is the first time in India that a hospital is treating patients with both allopathy and creative therapy. I am thankful to The Little Theatre for its efforts in setting up this studio, as this will be a welcome space for children.”
A creche was also inaugurated at the hospital for the benefit of the staff, nurses, doctors and care-givers. Aysha Rau, managing trustee of The Little Theatre, who was present at the function said that this kind of therapy will have a huge impact on the beneficiaries.
“There are 42 therapists in dance, music, drama and art and all will come onboard to support this project at the ICH,” she said.