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Expressive Therapies

ART THERAPY

The use of art in therapy allows clients to express themselves in new ways and often find new insights about themselves. We use a variety of mediums including watercolor painting, crayon, chalk, markers, charcoals, pencils, and sculpting materials. Through a variety of different therapist guided activities, you can explore and increase your understanding of emotions and inner thoughts.

Artistic ability is not necessary for a great therapy experience!

Art is helpful for people who struggle to identify or talk about their feelings; it is especially helpful for children who don’t always have the vocabulary to fully express their feelings through standard talk therapy. Art is a nonthreatening way for individuals and families to open up and learn more about themselves and each other.

THERE ARE MANY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS TO USING ART IN THERAPY INCLUDING:

  • Art can help people to recognize and deal with emotional conflicts
  • Art increases self-awareness
  • It can increase creativity and problem solving abilities
  • Art helps individuals learn to better manage their behavior
  • It can increase an individual’s ability to cope with stressors
  • Art helps to develop social skills
  • Art can help people to stay better connected with reality
  • It can help to reduce anxiety
  • The use of art helps to  increase self-esteem
  • It can reduce discomfort associated with talking about difficult subjects like past trauma
  • And last but not least: It’s fun!

PLAY THERAPY

Play therapy involves the use of toys, games, and imaginative play rather than standard talk therapy. This model is primarily used with children, but it can be helpful for those who struggle with self-expression as well. Unstructured play can help the therapist to assess areas of clinical concern or possible relationship issues.

The therapist can also use structured activities to teach skills such as impulse control and coping strategies. Through the use of play therapy, kids and adolescents are able to act out their situation or emotional struggles in a smaller scale; while they may feel they have little control over certain aspects of their life, in play they can take control and work through their feelings.

We might allow the child to start with less structured play or in some cases we might give basic guidelines such as, “Let’s play house; tell me about this family.” As difficult feelings surface in play, the child is able to face them and better cope with them. Additionally, kids can express their difficult feelings such as their anger or pain in a safe and healthy way. And of course play therapy is nonthreatening and fun for kids so they enjoy coming to therapy.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF PLAY THERAPY INCLUDE:

  • It can improve family communication and bonding
  • It can help kids to develop better coping and problem solving strategies
  • It can improve emotional expression
  • Play can increase empathy and social skills
  • Kids develop more responsibility for their behaviors
  • It can increase confidence and improve self-esteem

COVID-19  NOTICE

We at Threads of Hope Counseling care deeply for you, your families, and our community. As the concern regarding the spread of COVID-19 increases worldwide, Threads of Hope is prepared to reduce the spread of illness by following the expert guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the Minnesota Department of Health. MDH continues to stress common-sense illness prevention strategies such as sanitizing surfaces, covering your cough and sneezes, and frequent hand washing.

If you are experiencing signs and symptoms of a viral respiratory infection including fever, cough, and shortness of breath or if you or someone you have been in contact with traveled internationally in the last 14 days, please DO NOT come to our office. Instead we are happy to offer you telemedicine (online video) services.

Telemedicine appointments are HIPAA secure, do not require any downloads, and can be accessed on any device with microphone and internet access. Ask your provider or the administrative staff if this is a service you’d like to pursue.

Additionally, there is a lot of misinformation being spread regarding this virus which has inspired significant anxiety in many in the community. Look here for ideas on how to reduce your fear while remaining wise in facing the uncertainty of this disease.
We are here for you and there is always hope.