What is art therapy?
According to the American Art Therapy Association art therapy is an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.
Art therapy, facilitated by a professional art therapist, effectively supports personal and relational treatment goals as well as community concerns. Art therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensorimotor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change.
Art therapy allows children to cope with negative challenges they may have experienced throughout their lives. Children express their feelings in different ways and art therapy is a great way for children to exercises and promote self-expression to improve problem-solving.
Art therapy at The Resilience Network allows children to express themselves in an emotionally safe environment. Children have the opportunity for therapeutic art interventions that build new neural pathways and resilience skills.
Please keep in mind this service is a private pay service, insurance will not cover it.
Meet Matt Brooks, out very own art therapist!
Matt received a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and Development in 2009 from Slippery Rock University and received a Master’s in Art Therapy at Seton Hill University in 2016. Throughout his ten years’ experience working in a medical setting, he’s seen firsthand the importance of expressing difficult experiences through art. While at the Resilience Network Matthew assists in the client’s journey through their trauma using creative expression. “Often, the deep, painful feelings of trauma can’t be expressed through words. In art therapy, we don’t need words.”