Blog
By Tami Earnhart, LMFT, ATR
I’m a therapist in San Marcos writing about Child Therapy, Art Therapy, Parenting, Grief Counseling, and Anxiety Therapy for Adults.
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An Art Therapist’s top 5 Favorite Art Supplies for a Child’s Anxiety.
As a therapist who works with children, I often use Art Therapy with kids who struggle with anxiety. I offer a variety of materials when my clients are creating art in a therapy session but thought I would take an opportunity to share some of my favorite art supplies that I find helpful.
An Art Therapist shares 3 helpful ways to talk to your kids about their artwork.
I’m going to start with the trap. “Do you like it?” This is the common question that children ask adults, especially parents, as they excitedly show you their latest drawing or painting. As parents, we often automatically answer, “Yes, of course, I like it”. “That’s so beautiful!”.
San Diego Child Therapy specialist shares How Parents Can Foster Better Decision-Making Skills in Their Kids through Art Making.
Providing children opportunities to make decisions, without parent involvement builds decision-making muscles. With my training in Art Therapy, I often incorporate artmaking into child therapy and family therapy sessions. I find that art-making provides opportunities for children to express their self and communicate what they think and feel.
San Diego Art Therapist’s Top 5 Favorite Art Supplies for Homeschool Kids.
Homeschooling lends itself to more outside-the-box thinking. Homeschool parents have a unique opportunity to offer a much wider range of creative experiences and art materials even without art experience and a limited budget.
5 Things to Do to Help Anxious Kids Feel More at Peace.
As I have provided therapy for kids, many have wrestled with anxiety, for various reasons. It's not uncommon for kids to have worries about their own safety. They also worry that something bad will happen to their parents. During the pandemic, these fears heightened for many children.
What is Art Therapy?
Art therapy is a type of mental health therapy that goes beyond words. It enables a client, working with a trained Art Therapist, to address issues and experiences in ways that can feel safer and more empowering. Creative expression can also be used to help integrate traumatic experiences. It's an active, engaging therapy that incorporates creativity and image-making to move you toward healing.
An Art Therapist explains how to connect better with your kids, using art.
Your child loves art.
As a parent, you want to connect more, but art is just not your thing. On top of that, you know that creating art has the potential for a lot of mess, and frankly, it just feels overwhelming.
How parents can set themselves up for success with art at home.
I know many parents feel uncomfortable with making art or handling art materials at home. There can be an element of chaos and mess that can feel overwhelming. If this, is you, read on!
Ways Art Therapy can help when your heart is heavy
While not everyone, has experienced the pandemic in the same way, we’ve all experienced unwelcome changes and some loss. In my experience, Art Therapy provides a process for people, young and old, to begin making meaning.
What’s an Art Therapy session like? A San Diego Art Therapist explains.
The therapist you choose, whether in traditional talk therapy or in art therapy, is a big factor in what therapy sessions will be like. That is because the basis for any mental health treatment begins with a therapeutic relationship. Additionally, a therapist’s training, experiences, and theoretical orientation will also impact what a session is like.
Three Common Misconceptions People have about Art Therapy in San Diego.
Many therapists use more expressive methods in therapy, including Art Therapists. People of all ages benefit greatly from these methods. For children, with less developed cognitive abilities, expressive therapies can compensate for any limitations of “talk therapy”. For anyone, especially parents who are seeking to understand more about Art Therapy I wanted to share three common misconceptions.
How a San Diego Art Therapist helps a Quiet Child Express Themselves.
When I think of children who are quieter, I think about clients in the past and how art therapy helped them. While I cannot tell you their confidential stories, or share pictures of their artwork, their images created in art therapy still come to my memory. Powerful images.
Is Art Therapy the same thing as art classes in Encinitas
As an Art Therapist in San Diego, I sometimes get asked if Art Therapy is the same as attending art classes. There are several differences, but the main distinction is when you meet with an Art Therapist, you are meeting with a licensed mental health professional. When you attend an art class, you are going to meet with a teacher. The teacher, who may hold a degree in art or education, typically is not a psychotherapist or counselor.