Drawing and Talking is a safe and gentle therapeutic approach, which provides an effective way for children and young people (age 5 to 27) to process emotional pain or trauma they may be experiencing. Children are impacted emotionally by many different events, struggles or traumas.

Drawing and Talking allows individuals to discover and communicate emotions through a non-directed technique, setting it apart from existing solution-focused and cognitive-based therapies and interventions.

It can help a child tune into and express painful or difficult feelings that they have trouble putting into words. Drawing and colouring can be a helpful tool for anyone seeking new ways to manage anxiety symptoms or unprocessed emotions.

It is the number one alternative to CBT and direct talking therapies, that can often be confronting or limiting in the processing of pain or trauma. As an attachment-based therapeutic intervention. Drawing and Talking Therapy is designed to complement CAMHS and other specialist therapies.

It helps to explore their feelings and communicate them in a non-verbal way. This can be especially helpful for those who have experienced trauma or have difficulty talking about their emotions, and it can help the child develop improved healthy resilience skills.

What does it include?

Drawing and Talking is a one-to-one person-centred therapy that takes place over a course of up to 12 weekly sessions, focusing on prevention, early intervention and recovery from emotional stress or trauma. Drawing and Talking is a highly effective therapeutic play work approach.

The session lasts 45 minutes and is usually repeated on same day, time and place each week. Non-intrusive questions are asked about their creative drawings and writings, that are explored during each session, over time a symbolic resolution is found to conflicts and trauma begins to heal.

Benefits:

Utilising drawing as a way to help children both explore and express their feelings differently in ordinary verbal language. The Drawing and Talking therapeutic approach allows children to discover and communicate emotions through a non-directed technique.

Through the use of art materials, they can explore their feelings and communicate them in a non-verbal way. This can be especially helpful for those who have experienced trauma or have difficulty talking about their emotions.

Sessions can take place both indoors and outdoors, weather dependent.