Art Therapy for Early Intervention Children

Meet Jerry (pseudonym), a bright and sensitive boy diagnosed with mild developmental delay. Despite his reserved nature and hypersensitivity, Jerry has excelled in his special-education kindergarten, showing a willingness to try new things. In February 2023, Jerry joined our children's art therapy project. Initially, he thrived, but sometimes unexpected incidents made him freeze and he became unresponsive to questions about his feelings or needs.This hindered his full participation in the group sessions.

Apart from this challenge, Jerry's behavior varies between school and home. At school, he holds himself to high standards, shows a sense of responsibility, supports his peers, and responds well to teachers. However, at home, he sometimes shows distress. It indicates that Jerry needs more safe space to express his negative feelings. Recognizing the need for a safe space for Jerry to express his emotions, we transitioned to one-on-one sessions. This personalized approach has helped him engage more fully in art therapy and communicate better.

In these one-on-one sessions, Jerry used animal toys and Lego bricks to tell stories, expressing a range of emotions. For example, he once built railway tracks running right through a parking lot, symbolizing the multiple tasks he juggles and challenges he faces in similar situation. Encouraged by the therapist, Jerry found a way for the two structures to coexist by building the tracks on a bridge over the parking lot. This small, creative success boosted his confidence in problem-solving in real life.

In another session, Jerry quickly built a “skyscraper” with Lego bricks that would have fallen without the therapist’s help, demonstrating his tendency to act more mature than he truly was. Realizing the importance for Jerry to grow at his own pace, the therapist then introduced a free-form and sensory-rich medium, sand, to encourage Jerry to explore and create without boundaries. Jerry's response to the sand was very positive. It allows him to explore freely without the need to act mature.

Thanks to your support to our art therapy sessions, Jerry's communication skills and openness have improved, preparing him to transition to an inclusive educational system. There are other children with similar needs in Jerry’s school, with your continued support, they will have the opportunities to thrive. With your donation, we are able to provide the essential resources and therapy sessions that help these children express their feelings, develop crucial skills, and build a brighter future. Your kindness and generosity is very much appreciated!

With gratitude,

Mavis Tsai

Links:

• TFCF Taichung City Child Development Center FB (in Chinese)
• Find all TFCF projects in GlobalGiving

En, a 4-year-old boy with mild autism,is a bright boy with rich imagination. He is an only child from a single-parent family. En’s family has been struggling with financial stress, with the mother currently working part-time for about 4-5 hours a day. The rest of the family expenses are occasionallysupported by his grandmother. He has been attending the art therapy sessions at our development center for a year, with the goal of expressing his emotions appropriately. En tends not to feel safe and needs time to adapt when changing activities. At the same time, he is eager to build good relationships with others and values his family.

Initially, En enjoyed putting all kinds of materials into water, whether it was stickers, clay, paint, or colored paper when the art therapist worked with him. Water seemed to play the role of both a volcano devouring everything and a sea embracing everything. However, after these materials were thrown into the water, En often became afraid to look at them again. Therefore, the art therapist became the one who tried to understand his chaos and helped him make meaning of it. The therapist would slowly air-dry the mixed liquid he made and, in subsequent sessions,encourage En to look at the colorful air-dried mixture which was once very chaotic. En would sometimes be surprised by the transformation and regain interest in using them to create new artwork.

In En's artwork, we can often see his view on “home” and restore the broken relationship with people. A small van might be reassembled in to a “movingcastle”, carrying a home with a playroom, kitchen, and bedroom, where he can live and play while searching for theparadise. Sometimes, En would use Lego bricks to create a "car" with black, flat bricks instead of wheels, seemingly hoping to settle down securely.

“En continues to participate in art therapy sessions, and his creations are not only for himself but sometimes he also says he wants to give them to his mother, whom he has been missing all day. En has now passed the chaotic stage and continues to explore and cultivate the imaginative concept of 'home'and a happy life.”

- Message from En’s art therapist

** En is the pseudonym due to the fact that the privacy and safety of individuals is respected.

Indeed, the integration of art therapy has clearly facilitated positive changes for children like En. Nevertheless, it is your steadfast support that serves as the cornerstone of this advancement. Your unwavering dedication to the well-being of these children with special needs is truly commendable. Looking ahead, we urge for ongoing assistance to empower them in unlocking their full capabilities and blossoming into the finest individuals they can be.

We trust that your generosity will continue to thrive, enabling even more children to reap the benefits of your kindness and enhance their welfare. Thank you!

With gratitude,

Mavis Tsai

Links:

• TFCF Taichung City Child Development Center FB (in Chinese)
• Find all TFCF projects in GlobalGiving