Hospitalization can be an overwhelming time for pediatric patients and their families. Children may face physical, emotional, and cognitive challenges related to a life-altering diagnoses, such as cancer or a serious blood disorder, like sickle cell. Childhood cancer and certain blood disorders are among the leading causes of death by disease among children in the United States with a mortality rate of 15% according to the National Cancer Institute. These young patients often experience difficult symptoms from their illness and side effects from treatment, impacting their quality of life.
While medical treatments target the physical body, another powerful form of support, Art therapy, helps address the emotional and psychological needs of young patients, promoting healing from within. The Art Therapy Program at the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital is a vibrant lifeline, offering patients comfort, support, and tools they can build upon to strengthen emotional resilience, increase a sense of self, and promote creativity and the safe exploration of feelings.
What is Art Therapy?
Art therapy is a form of expressive therapy that uses creative activities such as drawing, painting, and sculpting to support physical, mental, and emotional well-being. This type of therapy can reduce depression, anxiety, and stress and allows one to explore complex feelings. Through artmaking, children may experience an increased sense of control and empowerment. It can also improve quality of life by boosting self-esteem, promoting a sense of hopefulness, and supporting improved symptoms and pain management. Art therapy is also used throughout the child’s treatment process – creative works can appear vastly different at the time of diagnosis, as the child works through their emotions and understanding of their illness until they reach the end of treatment and beyond. Each painting or drawing is a child expressing themselves and their feelings; it honors the child’s perception and allows patients to express feelings they cannot often put into words.
Types of Art Therapy
For pediatric patients undergoing challenging treatments, art therapy provides a safe way for children to communicate their emotions to their care team and family. At Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital, the Art Therapy Program incorporates a variety of creative activities, including:
- Drawing and Painting: This traditional art form uses fundamental techniques that encourage children to externalize their emotions with colored pencils, markers, or paint by creating abstract art, safe scenes, characters, or other representations that help support the child.
- Sculpting and Clay Work: The tactic of molding clay or other materials allows patients to engage in a hands-on activity that can be soothing. Sculpting can also provide patients with a sense of control as they shape and create materials that reflect their inner thoughts and emotions. Soft, air-dry clay is a favorite, as it allows for three-dimensional artmaking even if hand mobility and strength limitations are present. The creation of character and animal representations can promote a sense of connection and healthy attachment.
- Collage and Mixed Media: Magazine cutouts, fabric, pictures, or other forms of mixed media can be used for collages or art journals to explore feelings, hopes, fears, or other themes of choice. Collage is sometimes a less intimidating artform compared to other, more formal media. A continued project or one that includes family contribution can provide a child an added sense of support throughout their treatment journey. It can also help patients convey their emotions in a detailed and creative way to caregivers and family.
- Mask Making: Mask making can be a powerful tool for exploring characterization or personal symbols, life roles, how one wants to show up in the world, or other themes of personal significance. Animal forms/masks may appeal to younger patients, and themes such as strengths, needs, vulnerability and self-concept may be explored via this medium.
Benefits of Art Therapy
When a child undergoes medical treatment, they may struggle to articulate their emotions verbally. Art therapy serves as a creative outlet for expressing strong or difficult emotions about their experience, helping them process what they cannot put into words. Art therapy benefits young patients by:
- Manages Physical Symptoms: Engaging in creative activities can reduce physical symptoms like pain, nausea, and fatigue.
- Emotional Expression and Self-Awareness: Art therapy enables children to explore feelings such as fear, anger, pain, and sadness.
- Coping Mechanism: Art therapy can help young patients cope with their hopes, fears, and anxieties surrounding treatment by displaying their difficult emotions through symbolic and visual representation.
- Provides a Safe Space: Creating art provides patients a safe, non-threatening space with a supportive person nearby to process their journey and adapt to emotional journeys.
- Strengthen Bonds: Art therapy often includes family members, encouraging parents and their siblings to join the creative process. Art therapy groups of like-aged patients are sometimes held to encourage interaction with other young patients, leading to mutual support and friendship during their journey.
- Provides Empowerment and Control: Young patients going through rigorous treatment, may feel a loss of their sense of control. Art therapy restores some of that control by allowing them to make choices in their creations – choosing the colors, themes, shapes, and styles. This can help build a sense of competence and control in an otherwise uncertain time.
- Improves Quality of Life: Researchers found that Art therapy improves children’s posture and enhances resilience, positively impacting mood and self-perception.
Art Therapy Woven into Pediatric Cancer Treatment & Beyond
At the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute, Art therapy is an integral part of treatment for inpatient hematology and oncology patients. Art therapy is integrated into individual treatment plans to address the unique emotional, psychological, and social needs of each patient, helping them process their journey in a way that feels natural and empowering.
A trained art therapist offers both one-time and on-going sessions, working individually or with groups at besides, in the playrooms, and in outpatient settings. Art therapists are trained to use therapeutic techniques during these sessions that foster a safe, non-judgmental space where children feel comfortable expressing themselves. Each artwork becomes a meaningful story of courage and healing that embodies the transformative power of creativity. These artworks can also be revisited by patients with guidance of the therapist.
Art Therapy Doesn’t End at the Patient
In addition to patient support, the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute recently introduced “Fill Your Cup,” a casual weekly parent support gathering for caregivers of patients on the 3rd Floor Pediatric Hematology/Oncology unit. Here, caregivers can drop in and meet other parents for shared self-care. This may take the form of simply sharing a cup of coffee among other adults, making art, or sharing complex feelings related to their child’s diagnosis and the life changes the child and family are experiencing. Individual support and therapist follow-up can be provided as needed. “Fill Your Cup” takes place Monday mornings at 10 a.m. on the 3rd Floor, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology unit near the playroom.
For additional information, please feel free to reach out to Hope Carter, email address [email protected].
