Expanding the Frame of Clinical Mental Health Care: Dance and Other Arts Therapies in Practice
- When
- 24 & 25 October 2026
- Where
- India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi
Conference theme
This conference brings together dance and other creative arts therapy professionals, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, educators, researchers, and mental health practitioners to engage with a key question: What constitutes clinical practice in mental health?
While often positioned as adjunctive approaches, dance and other arts therapies are increasingly being recognised as meaningful approaches to clinical assessment and mental health treatment across settings. Through systems case presentations, experiential sessions, research and poster presentations, interdisciplinary panels and roundtables, and dialogue circles, the conference invites delegates to examine the value, challenges, and opportunities of embodied and arts-based approaches within India’s evolving mental healthcare landscape.
Particular attention will be given to how dance and other arts therapies are being integrated into mainstream systems of care, including hospitals, rehabilitation centres, clinics, and other mental health settings.
Alongside questions of practice, the conference will also explore training, professional development, and workforce readiness. Bringing together practitioners, educators, and mental health professionals, the conference aims to create a shared space to reflect on the future of the field and collectively imagine pathways for stronger integration, training, and practice in India.
Why this conference?
Creative Arts Therapies in India are at an important point of growth. As more practitioners enter clinical settings and institutions begin to explore arts-based approaches to mental healthcare, questions around training, professional recognition, employment, integration, and responsible practice are becoming increasingly important.
This conference creates a space to examine where the field stands today and where we go from here.
Who is it for?
- Dance Movement Therapists
- Music Therapists
- Drama Therapists
- Art Therapists
- Expressive Arts Therapists
- Creative Arts Therapists
- Psychiatrists
- Clinical Psychologists
- Counsellors
- Researchers
- Educators
- Students & Trainees
- Hospital & Healthcare Professionals
- Mental Health Organisations
What's on the floor
- 01
8 Experiential Sessions
75-minute hands-on sessions led by practitioners and institutions, grounded in real clinical work.
- 02
3 Research Presentations
60-minute presentations on original research, evaluations, and evidence-informed practice.
- 03
Poster Presentations
A visual and interactive format for sharing research-in-progress, clinical innovations, and student work.
- 04
Systems Case Presentations
Real-world journeys from hospital and healthcare settings, showcasing how Creative Arts Therapies have been integrated into clinical practice, including the processes, challenges, and learnings involved in building sustainable models of care.
- 05
Keynotes
Thought-provoking addresses from leading voices in mental health and Creative Arts Therapies, offering broader perspectives on the evolving role of arts-based approaches in clinical care.
- 06
Panel Discussion
An interdisciplinary conversation exploring the future of Creative Arts Therapies in India, the systemic challenges facing the field, and what can be done collectively to move it forward.
Registration fees
| Category | Conference |
|---|---|
| Early Bird | ₹3,900 |
Student discount: to avail of the student rate, you must be currently registered as a student at a university or institution. A valid student ID card or letter from your institution will be required.
Get first pick of your sessions
We're putting the finishing touches on the session schedule and programme, and session selection will open in the next two to three weeks.
As a registered participant you'll get early access to session selection. We'll send you the session selection link 72 hours before it goes live on our website, giving you the first opportunity to reserve your preferred experiential sessions, presentations and other programme offerings before they open to the wider community.
Register now and get first pick when session selection opens.
Make a night of it
Join us after the conference for an evening of stand-up comedy, laughter and informal networking. Add the show to your conference registration for just ₹399. You can opt in while you register.
A space for everyone
We want to create a conference environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and respectful of diverse needs and experiences. If you have accessibility requirements or other needs that may support your participation, please let us know in advance so that we can understand them and explore what may be possible within the resources and facilities available to us. While we may not be able to accommodate every request, we will make reasonable efforts to support participation wherever possible.
CMTAI has zero tolerance for sexual harassment of any kind and is committed to maintaining a conference environment that is safe, respectful, and inclusive for all attendees, presenters, facilitators, volunteers, and staff.
About CMTAI
Founded in 2014, the Creative Movement Therapy Association of India (CMTAI) is India's pioneering professional association for Dance Movement Therapy. CMTAI is dedicated to advancing the field through education, research, advocacy, professional development, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Over the past 12 years, CMTAI has brought together practitioners, educators, researchers, and allied mental health professionals through conferences, training programmes, workshops, and collaborative initiatives, with the vision of strengthening the role of Dance Movement Therapy and other Creative Arts Therapies within India's evolving mental health ecosystem.
Coming to listen, learn, connect, and be part of the conversation?
Session selection is not open yet. Register now to secure your place at the current rate, and we will email you a personal link to choose your sessions once the schedule is confirmed.
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