ABOUT
Reaching to Restore with Art, Recreation and Movement and other Expressive Arts Therapies
ARM of Care uses these trauma informed approaches to:
- Experience honesty with self and others
- Give expression to wordless experiences
- Find release from the chronic effects of trauma
- Activate imaginations for integration of the body, mind and spirit
- Create ownership of feelings, thoughts and actions
- Offer healthy and enjoyable practices for caring for self, others and community
- Provide meaningful and memorable experiences
Art Therapy
According to the American Art Therapy Association, “Art therapy is a mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages. It is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight.”
Using all different kinds of materials, our participants are invited to cut, shape, design, glue, color, choose, organize, draw, sew, paint and create something externally of what they are experiencing internally. Doing art becomes a way where they discover something about their internal experience that was otherwise difficult to access. The goal isn’t the finished product; the beauty is in the unfolding of this exploration process. Art allows for a refocusing of their attention while making space for both difficult and pleasant emotions to be shared in a safe environment.
Activation of their creativity opens them to appreciate the unique work of art that they are.
Recreational Therapy
According to the American Therapeutic Recreation Association, “Recreational Therapy means a treatment service designed to restore, remediate and rehabilitate a person’s level of functioning and independence in life activities, to promote health and wellness as well as reduce or eliminate the activity limitations and restrictions to participation in life situations.”
Participating in recreational activities (such as sporting events, dance performances, concerts, museum visits, cultural events) gives our participants a way to reintegrate safely back into the culture, shows them what resources are available in their community, helps them decide what they personally enjoy and want to pursue in their own leisure time, introduces them to new hobbies, and is an outlet for releasing stress and experiencing goodness and fun in life.
Having fun is inherently therapeutic. Our participants begin to answer questions like these to help them “re-create” well being in their lives:
- What do you like to do for fun?
- What makes you feel warm, nourished, cozy, alive?
- What brings you a sense of adventure?
- What peaks your curiosity?
Movement Therapy
According to the International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association (ISMETA), “Somatic movement enhances human function and body-mind integration through mindful and restorative movement.” Through body awareness and movement exercises, we teach our participants to notice what is happening inside of their bodies and allow them to connect with what they feel. They learn ways to undo and release the places in their bodies that were violated, impacted, and imprinted from the abuse.
We work to heal the body to rejuvenate and regenerate, reconnecting what has felt disconnected. Even the smallest movements can change patterns and habits formed by the trauma. They discover that moving their bodies can result in good feelings which reverberates through every part of their lives.
Movement is change and that is what our participants do as they move. All life begins with movement.
Other Expressive Arts Therapies
According to the Expressive Arts Therapy Association, “The expressive arts combine the visual arts, movement, drama, music, writing and other creative processes to foster deep personal growth and community development.” Because so many forms of the Expressive Arts are used together, our programs can also include the use of music, dance, drama, writing and other forms of therapy.
We give permission in our programs for our participants to have choices. Not every form of therapy resonates with each person, so allowing for spontaneity and their own instinctual inclination is key to their healing process.
