Art Psychotherapy-Information for Parents and Carers
Art psychotherapy offers children and young people a chance to express thoughts and feelings through the use of art materials like paint, clay, and junk materials as well as sand tray. Some children and young people find talking difficult or don’t know how to put their thoughts into words. Art psychotherapy can help them make sense of things they are finding difficult or that are worrying them. Art psychotherapy is not an art lesson and you do not need to be good at art to benefit. Your child is encouraged to make their own choices about what to use and what to make.
How long and how often?
Art psychotherapy sessions usually take place weekly and last one hour. I will talk with you and maybe other professionals involved about how best to fit therapy sessions in with the rest of your child/young person’s timetable. Art psychotherapy will finish when we all feel that the reasons for referral have been reduced or eliminated. This could be several weeks, several months or anything up to a couple of years depending on your child’s needs.
How might art psychotherapy help my child?
Art psychotherapy can help in many ways. Some examples might be:
Where there has been a change in the family and the child/young person needs support to understand their feelings about this; when someone they were close to has died; when they have strong feelings that are affecting their behaviour at home and/or school; where they are lacking in self-esteem or confidence; when they are experiencing loss of someone or something; and where children struggle to put feelings into words.
Why now?
Emotional difficulties can often be recognised and dealt with at an early stage. Supporting children and young people earlier on helps them grow into stronger, more reslient and confident young adults with resources to tackle difficulties they may face later on in life.
Reviews
With younger children I like to meet with parents/carers and the child for regular reviews. This can be the same for young people if they wish it and sometimes they may prefer not to involve their parent and carers in this way. What is and isn’t fedback to parents and carers is always negotiated and the exception always being if I have concerns for the child or young persons’s safety in which case the usual child protection procedures will be followed.
What some children, parents and Carers have said:
“We have all benefitted from our discussions with you Paula. We found you professional, very easy to talk to and your comments and impartial views helped us understand (our grandson) more and perhaps how we should adjust our approach when things start to become difficult. ”
“Thanks for making me more confident in every thing I do. You have helped me to stand up for myself and make some more friends at school and at home”
“ I’m not running out of class because of my worries”
“I like myself more”
“He is listening to me a lot more and we spend a lot more time together as a family. He also talks if there are any problems”