INTEGRATING ART THERAPY INTO SCHOOL-AGED PROGRAMMING

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INTEGRATING ART THERAPY INTO SCHOOL-AGED
PROGRAMMING

• Stacy Gross, MA
• Life Skills Counselor/Art Therapist
• Therapeutic Elementary Education Program, Canvas
  Health

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ART MAKING EXPERIENTIAL

• Take about 10 minutes to draw what the caveman is
  running from
• If you dont have a pen, I have some pencils
• Well come back to this later

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WHAT IS ART THERAPY?

• As defined by the American Art Therapy
  Association (2011),
• Art therapy is the therapeutic use of art
  making, within a professional relationship, by
  people who experience illness, trauma, or
  challenges in living, and by people who seek
  personal development.  Through creating art and
  reflecting on the art products and processes,
  people can increase awareness of self and others
  cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic
  experiences enhance cognitive abilities and
  enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of making
  art.

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ART THERAPY CONTINUED

• Art therapy is an effective treatment for people
  experiencing developmental, medical, educational,
  and social or psychological impairment.
• Art therapists work in a wide variety of settings
  including hospitals, psychiatric and
  rehabilitation facilities, wellness centers,
  forensic institutions, schools, crisis centers,
  senior communities, private practice, and other
  clinical and community settings
• Art therapists are trained in both art-making and
  counseling

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WHAT DOES AN ART THERAPIST DO?

• I encourage clients to create art and reflect on
  their art
• I help clients learn and use artistic media to
  express themselves
• I teach clients how to use art as an emotional
  container

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ART THERAPY CAN

• Change attitudes
• Increase assertiveness
• Impact self-development
• Expand childrens awareness
• Stimulate verbal and nonverbal communication
• Provide insights
• Release and relieve emotional stress
• Develop coping strategies

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SKILLS CHILDREN LEARN FROM ART

• Creativity
• Confidence
• Problem Solving
• Perseverance
• Focus
• Non-verbal Communication
• Collaboration
• Dedication

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STAGES OF GRAPHIC DEVELOPMENT

• The Scribble Stage (10 months-4 years)
• Random Scribble Stage (10 months-2 years)
• Longitudinal Scribble Stage (2-3 years)
• Concentric Scribble Stage (2-3 ½ years)
• Isolated Closure Stage (3-4 years)
• Preschematic Stage (4-7 years)
• Schematic Stage (7-9 years)
• Realistic Stage (9-11 years)
• Naturalistic Stage (12-14 years)

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SCRIBBLE STAGE (10 MONTHS-4 YEARS)

• Color use is random during this stage
• Random Scribble Stage (10 months-2 years)
• Based on normal development of reaching,
  grasping, clasping
• Tools are an extension of the hand
• Longitudinal Scribble Stage (2-3 years)
• Repetition of movement learning takes place
• Develop an awareness of boundaries of paper
• Concentric Scribble Stage (2-3 ½ years)
• Characterized by concentric circles
• Between ages of 3 and 4 years, scribble changes
  from counterclockwise to clockwise
• Isolated Closure Stage (3-4 years)
• Characterized by closure of figures and
  spontaneous naming of figures
• Has ability to create boundaries and purposeful
  form
• Appropriate Art Materials
• Large crayons
• Washable markers
• Chalk on chalkboard
• Thick tempera paint with ¾ brushes
• Flat surfaces to work on

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PRE-SCHEMATIC STAGE (4-7 YEARS)

• Encephalopodtypical 4 year old form
• Beginning to develop graphic capability as shown
  in form
• Appropriate art materials
• Tempera paint on large paper
• Crayons on smaller paper
• Pencils for more detail
• Thick markers to increase control
• Towards the end of the stage, skinny markers
• Avoid constant variation of materials

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SCHEMATIC STAGE (7-9 YEARS)

• Schemaconsistent graphic representation
• Schematic deviations occur when something is
  either significant or unimportant
• Most people stop developing their ability to draw
  sometime between the ages of 7 and 9 years
• Appropriate art materials
• Facilitate self expression, not inhibit it
• Dont force materials
• Thick tempera paints
• Large paper
• Crayons
• Chalk
• Collage
• Natural items

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REALISTIC STAGE (9-11 YEARS)NOT EVERYONE GETS
TO THIS STAGE

• Schema is no longer adequatehumans are
  differentiated, usually by clothing
• Trying hard to get things right
• Gang stagewhen gang is left out, think about
  social isolation
• In this stage of development (graphic and
  otherwise), drawings can be used to increase a
  different point of view

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FLUID MEDIA RESISTANT MEDIA
(AFFECTIVE) (COGNITIVE)

• Watercolor on wet paper
  Stone/Wood Sculpture
• Fingerpaint on fingerpaint
  Clay
• paper
• Other paints on dry paper Colored
  pencils/pencils
• Collage
• Chalk pastels Crayons
• Oil pastels Soft water-based clay
• Markers

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INTEGRATING ART THERAPY INTO PROGRAM

• The process of creating art is just as, if not
  more, important than the product
• Strategically placed/utilized interventions can
  help reduce anxiety, promote relaxation, and
  foster the development of coping skills

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MANDALAS

• Clinically proven to reduce stress and induce
  relaxation
• Utilize a combination of coloring sheets and
  blank circles
• Ideas for integration
• MCA testing
• After gym

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DOODLE BOOKS

• Foster creativity while reducing anxiety
• Ideas for integration
• Art projects
• Supplement to coloring sheets
• The Boys Doodle Book Amazing Pictures to
  Complete and Create by Andrew Pinder
• The Anti-Coloring Book by Susan Striker

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ZENTANGLE

• Drawing structured patterns
• Relaxing
• Increases focus
• Theres no wrong way to do it so everyone is
  good at it
• Ideas for integration
• Art project
• Quiet activity/fidget

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PLAY-DOH SCRATCH BOARDS

• Sensory integration technique
• Can be used to reduce anxiety and assist in the
  development of a feeling of calm
• May be useful when talking with a student when
  they are in trouble

• Very kinesthetic
• Tool that can benefit those feeling anxious
• You can purchased packaged scratch boards or
  students can make their own

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CREATING A WINDOW

• Cut out a small window in construction paper
• Place this on top of the paper where the child is
  drawing
• The child draws on the paper through the image
• Fosters containment and reduces anxiety

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HOW TO TALK TO CHILDREN ABOUT ART

• Let children create their own art without making
  uninvited marks on it
• Take time to reflect on the art
• Approach the image with curiosity (the child is
  the artist and the expert on the meaning)
• Be mindful of your speech
• Treat the completed work with respect and care
• Using our caveman drawing from earlier, what are
  some things you might say?

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HELPFUL PICTURE BOOKS

• Ish by Peter K. Reynolds
• The Dot by Peter K. Reynolds
• Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg
• My Many Colored Days by Dr. Suess
• One by Kathryn Otoshi

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THINGS TO REMEMBER

• You are NOT an art therapist
• Art making is a legitimate, evidence-based
  practice and clinical treatment
• Some believe that you should always make art when
  the children are while some believe that it could
  inadvertently influence them use your judgment
• What you are already doing with children is a
  form of therapeutic art

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HOW TO CREATE AN ART DIRECTIVE (USING A PICTURE
BOOK)

• Once youve picked out a book, think about
• What do you want each child to learn from the
  book?
• Were there any artistic elements that you can
  piggyback off of?
• How could the children best experience the lesson
  from the book?
• Remember
• There is no wrong way to do this try and if it
  doesnt work out, adjust it for next time
• Use your resources!

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• Thank you!
• Questions or comments?
• Stacy Gross, MA
• stacyleegross_at_gmail.com