With a little imagination, many activities can be a form of therapy. A good therapist will get to know her person well enough to be able to incorporate some of his favourite activities into the program she devises for him. For example, gardening is a well-recognized form of therapy in which people with anxieties and feelings of inadequacy can be helped to relax and feel productive. Digging the earth, tending plants and weeding are all purposeful activities which provide a sense of order and connection. Bread making is another: from the rhythmic action of kneading the dough to the satisfying shaping it into loaves and the final triumph of sharing the finished product with friends, it is an activity which makes people feel good.

Animal Therapy is a new concept which is being used increasingly with children, especially with those for whom verbal communication is difficult. The idea is that a friendly animal may provide an emotional focus for a child which she is not able to find in another person.  Animals are non-judgmental and do not care what a person looks like or whether they are able to walk or talk. Sometimes simply being able to hold a warm, soft kitten or puppy and stroke its fur over and over again can give a child the comfort he is unable to find elsewhere.  Water therapy, in which a person is immersed in warm water for the duration of the session, is sometimes used by physiotherapists for the natural relaxation of the muscles which occurs. Massage is a commonly used therapy for muscle tightness and relaxation.  As our understanding of the human body and mind continues to grow, new therapies will emerge simultaneously.