I’M A TRAUMA THERAPIST WITH A focus in art and play therapies. EXPRESSIVE THERAPIES ARE WAYS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS TO EXPLORE OR EXPRESS EMOTIONS WHEN IT IS DIFFICULT TO LABEL THEM WITH WORDS OR IN CONVERSATIONS.

Sometimes kids get depressed, anxious, frozen or overwhelmed, so we work with creativity, curiosity and play to open the brain and help kids begin to talk and engage.  

All the arts are important — not just visual arts but music, film, dance, movement, poetry and pet-assisted therapy. These all fit together nicely in a therapeutic setting to help patients heal physically and emotionally in ways that the true self can bear and flourish.

We could not function without the donations that we get for art supplies, musical instruments and extra support we receive during the holidays. Donations have sustained our expressive therapy programs, and I’m deeply grateful for that support. The kids and families benefit directly from this generosity.

These days, I primarily work with our eating disorder patients at Children’s Medical Center Plano. Over 60 percent of these children and teens in our program report some form of trauma during their intake. The arts are a good way to help them express their experiences and feelings without it being too intense.

The holidays can be difficult, even under normal circumstances, and stressful for kids and families. Having a child that’s hospitalized can intensify that. We try to help the kids and families navigate these tough times. When I work holidays, I sense that it helps kids emotionally and gives them a chance to do something that’s creative and meaningful that day.

In the last couple years, we have seen waiting lists for mental health therapies grow. Children are sponges to adult emotions, and they pick up what is going on in the world and their immediate environments. Sometimes they are overwhelmed by their feelings and don’t know what to do with them. And then sometimes, they don’t know what to do with those feelings and they can resort to unhealthy coping skills like eating disorders, self-harm or addictions. The arts help them express their emotional worlds in safe ways.  

Children are always magical, no matter what situation they come to us in. The magic of children during the holiday season is beyond words. This is what art therapy does — it goes beyond words.