Category: art therapy

Coping Through Creativity: A Mom’s Story through Childhood Cancer

When my daughter Miley was 11 months old, she was diagnosed with cancer. I immediately immersed myself into her care. We were locked in battle against cancer. I was with her at the hospital the entire time—breast-feeding between her procedures and doctor visits—all during COVID lockdown. My sole mission was to get Miley cured.

Throughout her time in cancer treatment, Miley and I were surrounded by support: the medical staff, of course; but also mental health professionals, and loving family and friends, who all checked in regularly. A music therapist would come by our room regularly, and the sessions got us through the stressful in-patient days. We would listen to music together, especially my favorite singer, Miley Cyrus, and talk about what the lyrics meant.

What is art therapy?

Shortly defined, art therapy means using artistic activities and products resulting from these activities, in order to enhance people’s wellbeing. Art therapy may help us have a better view upon our inner conflicts and emotional deadlocks, and to understand what has to be done to deal with them.

Art therapy is performed under the guidance of an art therapist, a person who is trained both in therapy and arts, able to skilfully use certain artistic mediums (painting, music, dance) for therapeutic activities.