Magic Therapy™ was developed by Dr. Kevin Spencer and is “a carefully designed, systematic approach to the therapeutic use of simple magic tricks in physical and psychosocial rehabilitation”.

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) supports the use of magic tricks as an authentic method of achieving therapeutic goals.

Magic Therapy™ is based on the Model Of Human Occupation (MOHO) and as a therapeutic technique, through the use of a series of simple magic tricks, aims to address difficulties in:

• cognitive skills
• motor skills
• social skills
• sensory processing
• communication
• creativity & flexible thinking

The most important aspect of Magic Therapy™ is the ability to transfer the skills developed through the performance of magic tricks learned by the client into Activities of Daily Living. Learning and performing magic tricks allows the client a means of safely exploring his skill level while providing a fun way to achieve therapeutic goals.

Magic Therapy™ assists in:

• physical disorders:
  There is an increase in both gross and fine motor skills of the client  through the ability to handle objects, such as upper limb and hand dexterity, grasping and releasing.
• special education:
  Teaching magic tricks to children with additional challenges, such as learning disabilities, emotional and behavioural disorders, developmental and cognitive delays and/or autism, can have a significant impact on neurodevelopmental functioning, such as attention, memory, language, temporal-sequential ordering, spatial ordering, neuromotor functions, social cognition and higher order cognition.
• brain injuries:
  Performing magic tricks provides cognitive and perceptual challenges in people with acquired brain damage.
• spinal injuries:
  In people with limited upper limb function due to a spinal cord injury, the use of magic tricks allows them to control their environment autonomously without requiring dexterous hand movements.
• mental health:
  Magic tricks in mental health enhance human functioning, such as increasing tolerance to frustration, task completion, concentration, teamwork, impulse control, communication.

References

Anstead, A. (2013). The Kid Whisperer. Inside Autism. Retrieved November 28, 2022, from https://magictherapy.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/The-Kid-Whisperer.pdf
Harte, D., & Spencer, K. (2014). Sleight of hand: Magic, therapy and Motor Performance. Journal of Hand Therapy, 27(1), 67–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jht.2013.11.001
Lyons, M., & Menolotto, A. M. (2010). Use of magic in psychiatric occupational therapy: Rationale, results and recommendations. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 37(2), 79–83. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1630.1990.tb01238.x
Magic in medicine. Kevin Spencer Live. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2022, from http://kevinspencerlive.com/magic-in-medicine/
Magic therapy. Magic Therapy. (2020). Retrieved November 28, 2022, from https://magictherapy.com/
Pravder, H. D., Leng-Smith, A., Brash, A. I., Elkin, D. J., Attard, M., Rose, B., Messina, C. R., & Chitkara, M. B. (2019). A magic therapy program to alleviate anxiety in pediatric inpatients. Hospital Pediatrics, 9(12), 942–948. https://doi.org/10.1542/hpeds.2019-0212
Prevos, P. (2013). Perspectives on magic: Scientific views of theatrical magic. Third Hemisphere Publishing.
Spencer, K., G Jenkins, G., M Davis, M., & K Yuen, H. (2019). When occupational therapy and Magic Collide. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 82(12), 713–715. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308022619834254
Spencer, K., Yuen, H. K., Darwin, M., Jenkins, G., & Kirklin, K. (2019). Development and validation of the Hocus Focus Magic Performance Evaluation Scale for Health Professions Personnel in the United States. Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions, 16, 8. https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2019.16.8
Using Magic Tricks in a Therapeutic Setting. Magic Therapy. (2020). Retrieved November 28, 2022, from https://magictherapy.com/training-ceu-workshop/