Three new art therapy programs will commence next February as part of The Hospital Research Foundation Group – Creative Health’s expanded program.
Led by Art Therapist, Natasha Dart, the programs will be offered to stroke survivors and people living with Parkinson’s, as well as carers.
It’s common to experience lots of life changes after a stroke or the onset of Parkinson’s, and navigating this new reality can feel overwhelming.
Natasha said the goal of art therapy is to help participants to make sense of their experiences or to find meaning, especially during times of grief or trauma.
“Coming to terms with their diagnosis and what that means can cause a lot of anxiety and negative thinking and if that’s not addressed, that’s when things become harder,” she said.
“For example, they might need to rest more but that’s a hard concept for them to accept, so how can we incorporate some strategies to replace that negative self-talk.
“By bringing in the art therapy aspect, it’s not as intimidating as traditional therapy.”
Sometimes it can be difficult to talk about an experience or express how you’re feeling, so this is where art therapy comes in.
The programs are specifically designed to help participants make sense of their new reality by building adaptability and exploring problem-solving strategies.
“Each session is different based on the theme for that session, so for one we’ll have a board book and its really about the participant’s story. They’ll tear the top page off and put a new one in, so using that metaphor of tearing something out and starting again,” Natasha said.
“We’ll also be creating a tree by using all different materials, it will be about how the participants make it work and thinking about support so we will be unpacking things that way.”
Sessions will take place through two-hour sessions once a week for six weeks at The Hospital Research Foundation Group – Parkinson’s office at Unley.
A program for people living with arthritis is also in the pipeline.
The groups are capped at six people, so make sure you book in! You can contact Natasha by emailing [email protected].
