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Child Art Therapy | Adult Art Therapy |
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What is Art Therapy?
Art therapy is a speciality within the field of psychotherapy that uses art materials and techniques to diagnose problems, feelings, and issues that otherwise might not come to the surface.
Art therapy is used by trained psychotherapists who may use other approaches like movement, dance, storytelling, play-acting, verbal communication, play therapy, and sand tray. We believe that a combination of techniques and modalities fosters insight, growth and behavior change, and helps working through problems and conflicts. Using the arts provides a safe environment for expressing anger, fear, traumas, and painful memories around issues such as divorce, separation and loss, death and dying, relocation, change of job and schools.
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ART AS THERAPY uses art materials and techniques and provides a safe environment in which to express feelings and emotions while experiencing excitement and joy at making art productions that can be saved and used, such as masks, puppets and wands.
WHO BENEFITS USING EXPRESSIVE ARTS?
- Children and adolescents with behavior problems and in crisis
- Alcoholics and substance abusers
- Family members in crisis
- Individuals experiencing boredom, mid-life crisis, severe traumas
- Artists blocked in the creative process
- Psychotherapists in training
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CHILD ART THERAPY
Pictured here is a child of a divorcing couple who is in the Child Art Therapy Group using art therapy techniques to work through his confusion, anger, and pain about his parents separating. The three year old boy and his father are engaged in face painting which created bonding through close tactile contact. Earlier the boy exhibited anger about the separation and he showed his feelings in the sand tray using miniature dinosaurs and spiders fighting and creating a war scene.
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Through the use of puppets that the children construct, they are able to speak their feelings as the puppet, where forbidden thoughts and feelings might otherwise never come to the surface. The puppets, play therapy, sand tray and games elucidate their hidden feelings within the group. The children share with each other, feel support and learn cooperation.
When children reveal their feelings that they've suppressed or were unable to express earlier, a process of healing begins.
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The daughter of the divorcing couple pictured here gets into costume for creative play acting. This acting out in the safe group environment is a place where she can express her feelings: anger, resentment, frustration or joy by becoming a different character; one who can express freely about crises in her life.
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HOW DOES MY CHILD BENEFIT FROM ART THERAPY?
If your child or adolescent is acting out at school, is creating a problem in the family, is depressed or anxious, has poor grades at school, or is possibly using drugs or alcohol, art therapy may be the therapy of choice.
Often children are not able to express themselves verbally to tell you what they are feeling. They may not be consciously aware of their problems. Art therapy helps bring out in a gentle way what the conflicts, feelings and issues are. The art therapist is trained to help the child work thought his/her problems.
WHAT IF MY CHILD IS NORMAL, AND DOESN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS?
Normal or psychologically healthy children may still experience a stress which causes upset for the child: e.g. the birth of a sibling, moving to a new location, financial difficulties in the home. Art and play therapy are the therapies that work most effectively for these children.
Children heal more quickly in a nurturing, therapeutic environment where they are accepted and appreciated. Over time it's easy to see the change in the child though words, behavior and coping skills.
Children who are 6-13 years of age are interviewed and accepted into the Child Art Therapy Program. Individual sessions are arranged as scheduled. For an assessment and more information, contact Barbara Dobrin, Ph.D.
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ADULT ART THERAPY
Adult art therapy is used in conjunction with "talk therapy", more on the level of the "growth process" leading to awareness, which helps in problem solving and making better choices.
For an assessment and more information, contact Barbara Dobrin, Ph.D.
3537 Old Conejo Road, Suite 113
Newbury Park, CA 91320
805 499-8511
bdobrin@barbaradobrin.com
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