Children’s art therapy is all about expressing big feelings through creativity. For kids facing tough challenges like cancer, art therapy can offer a powerful way for them to express themselves and cope with their emotions while they continue the fight.
Imagine being a kid and trying to explain how you feel when you’re sick. Words can be tricky, right? That’s where children’s art therapy comes into play. It’s a fun and creative way for kids to share their emotions and thoughts without having to put everything into words. With the help of professional art therapists, kids can paint, draw, and sculpt their feelings, turning their emotions into art.
The art therapists who conduct these sessions are trained in art, psychological theories, human development, and counseling. They base the treatment on an understanding of how the creative process can work wonders for kids’ mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
So, how does art therapy actually work? When kids engage in artistic processes, they can better communicate complex emotions through creative expression instead of just talking about them. The art provides valuable information about children’s internal states that trained professionals can interpret and use to help them resolve those issues.
In addition to offering an enjoyable way for kids to express themselves, art therapy can help them channel challenging emotions, such as anger, frustration, or anxiety.
When children start their therapy journey, the art therapist takes some time to get to know them. During the first few sessions, they talk about what’s on the kids’ minds to determine their current state and set goals together. Art therapists use this information to create personalized treatment programs that support the children’s individual needs.
As the sessions continue, kids explore all sorts of art mediums and modalities to encourage them to engage in creative expression. Art therapists might urge kids to explore specific themes, such as asking them to make clay sculptures of their family members.
Sometimes, they also guide children through artistic expression by asking them questions about it as they work. Other times, they might let the kids go wild with their creativity while observing quietly.
The best part? The artwork becomes a window into the kids’ feelings. Once they’re done creating, the therapist talks to them about their masterpieces and helps them understand their emotions better. It’s all about making sense of what’s going on inside.
Childhood cancer can be overwhelming for children and their families. As they work through the challenges of this diagnosis, art therapy provides a way to improve the child’s overall well-being. Studies have found various benefits of art therapy for kids with cancer, including:
Children’s art therapy improves communication with family members and health care providers by allowing the kids to share thoughts and feelings they may not have the words to express. Through art, children can tell their stories and open up to their families and therapists. It also makes it easier for relatives to understand the child’s inner world and engage them effectively.
Art therapy creates a safe space for children with cancer to express the difficult emotions that come with the diagnosis, such as anger, sadness, and fear. It can be a big emotional release for kids that also helps them process feelings about their illness and treatment.
This form of expression can be especially beneficial for young children who still need to develop the vocabulary to articulate complex emotions.
Engaging in art therapy can help children develop better coping mechanisms as they navigate the challenges of the diagnosis, treatment, and hospital stay. The creative process involved in children’s art therapy for cancer provides a distraction from the pain and anxiety. They learn to channel their feelings into something fun and creative.
Art therapy can contribute to the physical and mental well-being of children with cancer. Treatments can adversely affect a child’s physical health, from fatigue to nausea. Research shows that children’s art therapy can help improve physical well-being by increasing activity and energy levels and enhancing physical performance.
In addition to physical effects, childhood cancer can also impact a child’s mental health. Engaging in art therapy has been shown to help with managing stress, depression, and anxiety, leading to better emotional and mental well-being.
THON™ is a student-run philanthropy that is all about helping kids fight cancer. With Four Diamonds as our sole beneficiary, the funds we raise go toward assisting families to cover the medical costs of cancer treatments, funding research, and providing emotional support through specialty care providers, such as art therapists. Our work with Four Diamonds enables us to give kids access to art therapy so they benefit from its outstanding impact on their well-being.
At THON, we believe we can help kids fight cancer together through high-quality care. With your help, we can continue making a difference in children’s lives. Make a donation today.
To ensure that THON is able to donate 96 cents of every dollar raised to Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, we heavily rely on donor support. These donations provide us the resources to create endless memories for our Four Diamonds families & foster a deep love & connection to our mission for our volunteers through Pre-THON Events, alternative fundraisers, & THON Weekend.
