Overview of art therapy group interventions and strategies when working with children impacted by domestic violence by Registered Board Certified Art Therapist Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC. For more, check out this e-course offering: http://bit.ly/AaUdi8

1. Group Art Therapy Interventions & Strategies: Working with Children Exposed to Domestic Violence Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC Registered Board Certified Art Therapist Certified Trauma Consultant The Domestic Violence Center Cleveland, OH

2. About Art Therapy Art Therapy is the deliberate use of art-making to address psychological and emotional needs. Art therapy uses art media and the creative process to help in areas such as, but not limited to: fostering self-expression, create coping skills, manage stress, and strengthen sense of self. Art therapy has provided mental health treatment for clients who have experienced trauma, grief & loss, depression, chronic illness, substance abuse, and more. ~ The Art Therapy Alliance

3. Using Art in Trauma Intervention Creative process and art-making can provide opportunities for decision-making, problem-solving, and help build resiliency Respond to art expressions with an accepting, calming, validating, and normalizing approach Encourage and provide creative choices for open, self-expression Create a safe, inviting, and structured environment for making art free of judgment, interpretation, and asking too many questions Support opportunities for storytelling through interest of art created Malchiodi, C. (2005). Using Art in Trauma Recovery with Children Monograph.

4. Considerations when working with children from homes of domestic violence: Stabilization Emotion expression and validation Coping with feelings and crisis Reducing anxiety, fear, tension Adjustment to shelter life, family changes Safety planning Short term intervention & prevention Miller, G. (2008). Bruce Perry’s Impact: Considerations for Art Therapy & Children From Violent Homes

5. Considerations when working with children from homes of domestic violence: Appropriate developmental level Provide a sense of safety & predictability Repetition Relational enrichment Experience of reward Perry, B. (2006). Applying Principles of Neurodevelopment to Clinical Work with Maltreated and Traumatized Children

6. Support Groups for Youth Create a group structure designed to foster: Consistency Predictability Safety and ability to make choices Relational interaction Appropriate role modeling

7. Sensory based group art interventions that explore: Acceptance and trust Validation of experience Educate & normalize trauma reactions Promoting emotional expression Coping and stress management

9. Building Rapport & Relationship

10. Safety

11. Promoting Self-Worth & Self Esteem

12. Celebrating Self

14. Safety Box

15. Safety Box

17. Honors experience

19. Fighting

20. Coming to Shelter / Worried about Leaving Pet Behind

21. Shelter Adjustment / Coming to Shelter

22. Shelter Adjustment / Coming to Shelter

24. Sensory-Based Activities

25. Identifying Ways to Cope w/ reactions

27. Bart & the Sad, Bad, and Scary Thing that Happened—Brave Bart Story

28. Trauma Stress Thoughts

31. Emotional X-Ray: Helpless

32. Emotional X-Ray: Tension

33. Feelings Mask

35. Relaxation techniques

36. Breath work

40. References Malchiodi, C. (2008). Creative Interventions with Traumatized Children. New York: Guildford Press. Malchiodi, C. (2005). Using Art in Trauma Recovery with Children. Monograph published by the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children. Malchiodi, C. (1997). Breaking the Silence: Art Therapy with Children from Violent Homes . New York: Brunner Mazel. Miller, G. (2008). Bruce Perry’s Impact: Considerations for Art Therapy & Children From Violent Homes on Slideshare Perry, B. (2006). Applying Principles of Neurodevelopment to Clinical Work with Maltreated and Traumatized Children in Working with Traumatized Youth in Child Welfare edited by Nancy Boyd. New York: Guilford Press.

41. © 2010 Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BCRegistered Board Certified Art TherapistCertified Trauma and Loss Consultant gretchenmilleratrbc@gmail.comwww.gretchen-miller.com