“Can you tell us about your person?” art therapist Judith Campanaro asks.
One girl proudly presents her mommy, whom she has named “Kung Fu Panda.” Other children, not wanting to speak out loud, whisper into Judith’s ear.
Art time is a good time to let out secrets. It’s also a good time to relax, have fun and experience the pride that comes with creation.
Judith is one of three specialists who do “creative therapy” with Childhaven children in the form of art and music. Whether she’s working one-on-one with a child or leading a class of preschoolers, she gives the youngsters an outlet for emotions they can’t express with words.
The creative process actually changes brain waves, Judith explains. “Children often don’t know what’s bothering them. Creativity releases and relaxes them and gives them ‘a voice’. That’s when the healing starts.”
In a small room loaded with art supplies and toys, she will engage individual children as they play and sometimes act out events in their lives. One boy expressed his parents’ divorce by separating toys into two dollhouses.
Judith, a licensed counselor, isn’t directly involved in each child’s case, but she helps each child work toward their “treatment goals.” She also meets weekly with the program director and case managers to share information and issues that come up.
The goals of the creative therapy differ depending on the activity. Projects like the paper-person activity help children focus, make choices and practice social and communication skills, as when they have to ask for and share craft supplies.
Other activities are more freeing. Watching children spread globs of finger paint with their hands, Judith can’t help but smile. “This is pure joy,” she says.