What is Drawing and Talking?
Drawing and Talking Therapy 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.
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.
Your child will work one to one with myself who is a trained Drawing and Talking practitioner for 30 minutes, once a week over 12 sessions.
Why Drawing and Talking
Are you tired of waiting lists? Is your child struggling at school? Are they dysregulated and doesn't know how to describe how they feel? Too often children and adults feel afraid to admit they need help around their mental health and emotional wellbeing. Whether you are a child or young person, adult or grandparent, we all at times feel like we are struggling. The important thing to know and remember is
"you are not alone, and help is available."
Who is it for?
The Drawing and Talking technique is used with anyone (age 5+) who has suffered trauma or has underlying emotional difficulties.
- Children with separated parents
- Adopted / fostered
- Young parents
- Young caregivers
- LGBTQ+
- Socially disadvantaged
- Bereaved
- Ill or disabled
- Bullied or a bully
- Autistic
- Trauma
- Anxiety, stress or phobias
- Disrupted or disturbed sleep
- The effects of domestic violence
- Inability to make friends
- Inability to play
- Being withdrawn
- Inappropriate behaviour
- Peer or sibling disputes
Here are some facts:
- People are twice as likely to use verbal communication to express their emotions whilst drawing, rather than directed questioning.
- CAMHS actively recommend the use of Drawing and Talking therapy as an intervention, whilst waiting between referrals and child engagement.
- Clinically recognised as tier 1/2 intervention
- OFSTED consistently refer to the use of Drawing and Talking as Good/Outstanding intervention in new assessment measures
- Over 40,000 practitioners trained.
- Over 2 million children, young people and adults have accessed this intervention.
The development of mentally healthy communities through play.
Over the past half century or so opportunities for children to play, especially to play outdoors with other children, have continually declined. Over this same period, measures of psychopathology in children and adolescents - including indices of anxiety, depression, feelings of helplessness, and narcissism - have continually increased.
The Functions of Play
- Develop intrinsic interests and competencies.
- Learn how to make decisions, solve problems, exert self-control, and follow rules.
- Learn to regulate emotions.
- Make friends and learn to get along with others as equals.
- Experience joy.