School-based Creative Therapies- Art

Indigo Therapy Group offers one-on-one and group sessions for students of all
ages.

Creative Therapies can be used in school environments

• to address mental health, anxieties or depression, and help in situations
where family breakdowns; natural and man-made disasters; trauma, life-threatening illness or intellectual, social, communication, learning or behavioural challenges (including spectrum disorder) exist.

• as a new and effective opportunity to tackle and develop ‘critical consciousness’ and build school community resilience to socially poignant subjects like sexism, identity, bullying, racial commentary, covid stress, consent, and diversity.

School Based

GROUP SESSIONS

School settings are ideal for group interventions using art therapy. Group sessions may be designed to

  • encourage higher levels of concentration and focus within students; and
  • remind students that they have strengths and how they can work with these strengths. Sessions such as ‘Chill-art’ sessions, designed by Indigo, work like a traffc light system for emotional regulation and allow students to build their own language around the emotions that threaten to take-over. These sessions focus on self-awareness and self-regulation.

Other subject-based sessions that tackle socially poignant subjects, like the ones mentioned above, enable students to reflect deeply about themselves in relation to issues that confront others. Students learn to be considerate and kinder to others

INDIVIDUAL STUDENT SESSIONS

When schools identify a student who is struggling with cognitive, emotional, or behavioural issues such as anxiety or aggression, social diculties or low self-esteem, art therapy presents:

  • as an alternative to traditional counselling that allows students to express feelings and ideas in respect of conflicts and life experiences that are too emotionally loaded for verbal communication;
  • seamless integration of art therapy services with other school services that support the students and teachers, (and sometimes families) to overcome obstacles and restore functioning.
SESSIONS- WHEN, WHERE AND HOW

Art therapy sessions may be requested for one, some, or all students in a class during or after school hours

Formats

INDIVIDUAL STUDENT SESSIONS

Sessions are curated and planned around the needs of the school, students (age related) or teachers. Briefing from the school and debriefing with teachers is essential and integral to the process.

Format options:

  1. weekly 30-40 minute session per class for the duration of a school term;
  2. individual sessions for higher need students;
  3. small group sessions for students identified as higher risk of mental health issues;
  4. can be used to create school