True Colours: Art Therapy Lets Creativity Shine Through
Kids have a magical way with paints, pens, and popsicle sticks. The way their faces light up when they reveal their masterpieces reminds us that art is about more than making something beautiful — it’s the sheer delight of letting creativity run wild.
It also serves as a powerful therapy.
In the midst of treatments, rounds, and routine, art therapy offers kids and teens at the Alberta Children’s Hospital a vital escape and a way to express their feelings. The simple act of drawing, painting, or crafting can provide comfort and a sense of normalcy, helping them to cope with their experiences and emotions. Art becomes a bridge between their inner world and the challenges they face, giving them a voice and a creative outlet that can ease stress, foster resilience, and just be a kid.
And it’s all thanks to generous donors.
Community support allows this creativity to flourish at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, Rotary Flames House, and The Summit: Marian & Jim Sinneave Centre for Youth Resilience. Part of the incredible Child Life Services team that also provides music and horticultural therapy, art therapists lead individual and group sessions for kids in hospital and attending day treatment programs.
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At the heart of art therapy is Claudia & Randy Findlay Therapeutic Arts Studio, a fun and vibrant oasis bursting with colourful and crafty supplies that appeal to young people like 15-year-old Alexis.
“It’s pretty cool,” says Alexis, who favours the Sharpie and paints over other mediums. “I think everyone could benefit from art therapy. There are a lot of kids in my school who would like it.”
One of her favourite pieces is a mixed medium of a beautiful sandy beach she made during an art therapy session.
“We go monthly for appointments and this particular project was to create a place that was calm, a place she could visualize and go to when she gets anxious,” says Alexis’ mom, Jodi Lea Jenkins.
Diagnosed with a mitochondrial disease in 2014 with other diagnoses to follow, Alexis has had to adjust to a reality unfamiliar to most peers – using a wheelchair to get around, for instance, being fed through a G-tube, many medical appointments with multiple doctors, and the need for additional supports.
“Art therapy has been a way for Alexis to connect and build relationships with therapists, without the stress of traditional therapy modes,” says her mom.
“Using art, she has learned many strategies to help manage stress and anxiety. She can share big feelings by learning and creating new pieces. It’s an expressive outlet for things that are hard to put into words.
“Without art therapy, I’m sure Alexis would not be where she is today: a funny, 15-year-old starting Grade 10 in a new school, able to face nervousness and fears and make new friends with confidence.”
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