Aamina's Story
"Art therapy helped her throughout her illness."
Aamina is a 12-year-old that lives in Scarborough. She is a prolific artist and has sold paintings to raise funds for SickKids where she has spent many days and many nights since she first became ill at the age of 7. Art therapy helped her throughout her illness.
What is art therapy?
Art therapy is a mental health profession in which
patients, assisted by the art therapist, use art materials to explore and
express thoughts and feelings through creativity. The goal of art therapy
is to support the healing process and improve a patient’s physical,
mental and emotional well-being. Art therapists are trained in both art
and psychology, and have knowledge about the psychological role of
the creative process and the impact of using different art materials and
techniques.
What can art therapy do?
Art is a natural language for children. It can
help them make sense of and express their thoughts and feelings and
improve coping. Through the process of creating art and working with
an art therapist, a patient can: explore their feelings, process emotional
conflicts, build self-awareness and increase self-esteem, reduce stress
and anxiety, use metaphor and symbolism to express themselves, make
choices to gain a sense of control in a medical environment; and express
and begin to work through issues surrounding hospitalization, diagnosis
and symptoms.
What if my child is not artistic?
Unlike art classes that focus on what
the art looks like when it is finished, the focus of art therapy is on the art
making process and the thoughts and feelings that come forward. Art
therapy encourages exploring different art materials, structured mess
making, and experimenting with techniques in a safe space to build selfesteem
and a sense of accomplishment.
How can my child receive art therapy?
Art therapy is available for
patients ages 5 to 18 years of age from any inpatient area in the Hospital
for SickKids who need support coping with experiences around illness
and hospitalization. Referrals can be made by speaking with your child’s
RN, physician, social worker, child life specialist or other member of the
health-care team.
Questions about Creative Arts Therapy and Referrals?
Please contact: creativearts.therapy@sickkids.ca