Creativity in Therapy

Inspiring therapists and counselors to be more creative

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Art Apps in Therapy: Part 2

In my last post, I shared about using tracing apps to encourage drawing for children who are hesitant or need to develop fine motor skills. Although these apps don't allow for much individual creativity, other drawing apps can be great for creating original artwork. I don't feel that digital artwork can or should replace traditional media, but it can provide a great alternative, especially when available art supplies are limited, children are reluctant to engage in traditional art, in order to … [Read more...]

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Art Apps in Therapy: Part 1

Lately I have been experimenting with drawing, tracing, and art apps for use in therapy on my iPad. I don't believe that digital art can replace traditional art media but can be considered an additional tool for an art therapist, play therapist, or counselor. The past couple of weeks I have been trying out some tracing apps. Some of my young clients on the autism spectrum struggle with motor skills and lack confidence in their drawing ability. Although some children will happily scribble with … [Read more...]

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How Full Is Your Bucket?

One of my favorite books to read with kids in therapy is How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids by Tom Rath. In this book, a young boy named Felix learns that each of us has an invisible bucket, which represents our happiness level. As Felix goes through his day, different interactions either fill or empty his bucket little by little. Negative interactions, like being teased by others or being mean to his sister, empty Felix's bucket. Positive interactions, like doing well in school or being nice … [Read more...]

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Social Narratives

Social narratives or social stories can be a valuable and effective tool in teaching children new behaviors. In addition, you can easily add an art and creativity component to the creation of social stories with your clients. Social Stories were first developed by Carol Gray and are often used with children with autism spectrum disorders to teach new skills and appropriate behavior. Social stories may also be referred to as social narratives or social scripts. Many therapists, counselors, … [Read more...]

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Scribble Drawings Part 2

In my last post a few weeks ago, I wrote about using scribble drawings as a relaxation exercise. Scribble drawings can also be used in other ways for art in therapy. Intuitive Scribbles Another art therapy approach using scribble drawings is to create a scribble, look for the images or inspiration in the scribble, and then embellish the scribble to enhance the image. This can be beneficial as a way to tap into the unconscious. After completing your drawing, take some time to think about … [Read more...]

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