The ArtReach Foundation

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The ArtReach Foundation

Assisting children of trauma using creative expressive arts programs. It also gives them the tools necessary to lead productive lives. Gulf Coast.
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For over 20 years The ArtReach Foundation’s mission has been to influence and assist, through the use of creative expressive art programs, the growth and development of children. Research has shown that expressive art is an enormously effective means of helping traumatized children cope with their traumas. Providing art expression in a safe and educational setting allows those effected to express

residual anger, loss, pain and resentment, work through emotions related to trauma, and discover renewed hope. Three characteristics distinguish the ArtReach Model® from other programs that address similar needs:

Community Impact

During the first six years (2000-2005) of the Foundation’s work called ArtReach/Project Bosnia, it became apparent that its impact with teachers and children had a life-changing effect. This was not only on children, but also on entire communities. Beginning in the classroom, there was an emphasis on creating a safe and supportive environment that encouraged and enabled mutual respect, good listening, sharing, and meaningful self-expression. Children and teachers, in turn, become catalysts for change within their own families. The same atmosphere carried over into the evening public forums where parents and surrounding neighbors were given a safe place to express themselves. A facilitated group process led to a shared commitment to rebuild the community. Community members were welcomed and encouraged to participate in the ArtReach programs. Many of them then became volunteers and trainers for the ArtReach organization. Those Bosnian teachers, as well as hundreds of others from places around our globe who have been given the same tools for healing and change, continue to use and share them with members of their community. Today, ArtReach has benefited thousands of lives from places as far away as the Middle East and as close to home as its own U.S. ArtReach is committed to serving all people with an approach that heals through imagination – something they believe is most effective and cross-cultural. Universal Benefits

The benefits of ArtReach long survive the departure of their training teams. ArtReach’s “Train the Trainers” program prepares a select cadre of talented members of the local professional community to become regional ArtReach trainers. A professional training other professionals is a proven model that can have an effect on a large and diverse population, ensure sustainability of the model, and leverage financial and human resources. ArtReach further ensures its sustainability by providing ongoing supervision and mentoring for these regional trainers until they are able to continue the work on their own. Complementing Culture

ArtReach Teams begin their preparation with a careful study of the cultural ideologies and economic characteristics of the country, region or community that form the backdrop for the experience of trauma. The team training facilitators then designs a specific curriculum for each workshop to complement those ideologies and economic characteristics. Thus, the ArtReach Model® is meaningful and relevant for the workshop participants themselves, and for the children with whom they work.

06/06/2022

In light of the horrific mass shootings our country is encountering we wanted to share this piece from 2012.

"The first thing adults need to do is find some reinforcement for themselves because the best people to help these children are the people who take care of them in their daily lives, especially parents," says Dr. Lewis Leavitt, professor emeritus of pediatrics at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

"The analogy I use is one you hear on an airplane: Put the mask on yourself first, so you can then attend to your child," says Dr. John B. Lochridge, an Atlanta-based child and family psychiatrist. "After that, it is minute by minute, case by case. It's really a matter of listening and responding in a way that fits the framework of their understanding."

Children have different emotional needs than adults. Also, at different ages and stages of development, they react in different ways.

01/31/2022

The Gamm Theatre has established a new, in-house drama therapy program offering an alternative form of mental health support to schools and the broader community. Susie Schutt, the Warwick theater’s director of education and drama therapist, began integrating social emotional learning with its regular school programming in the spring of 2020 when COVID-19 first hit Rhode Island.

Both in schools and virtually, Schutt found that drama therapy techniques were effective for students who were processing their own feelings about isolation, loss, and grief. She said these sessions allowed students to share personal stories while working through the creative process, unlike a more traditional “talk” therapy.

Susie Schutt said the sessions allowed students to share personal stories while working through the creative process, unlike a more traditional “talk” therapy.

05/31/2021

Today and everyday our hearts go out to our mighty veterans. 🇺🇸

Using Art to Reveal the Trauma of War

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2202 18th Street NW
Washington D.C., DC
20009

Website

http://www.artreachfoundation.org/

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For over 17 years The ArtReach Foundation’s mission has been to influence and assist, through the use of creative expressive arts therapies, the growth and development of children who have experienced the traumatic effects of war, violence, and/or natural disaster. Research has shown that expressive art is an enormously effective means of helping traumatized children cope with their traumas. It also gives them the tools necessary to lead productive lives. Providing art expression in a safe, therapeutic, and educational setting allows those effected to express residual anger, loss, pain and resentment, work through emotions related to trauma, and discover renewed hope. Three characteristics distinguish the ArtReach Model® from other programs that address similar needs: Community Impact During the first six years (2000-2005) of the Foundation’s work called ArtReach/Project Bosnia, it became apparent that its impact with teachers and children had a life-changing effect. This was not only on children, but also on entire communities. Beginning in the classroom, there was an emphasis on creating a safe and supportive environment that encouraged and enabled mutual respect, good listening, sharing, and meaningful self-expression. Children and teachers, in turn, become catalysts for change within their own families. The same atmosphere carried over into the evening public forums where parents and surrounding neighbors were given a safe place to express themselves. A facilitated group process led to a shared commitment to rebuild the community. Community members were welcomed and encouraged to participate in the ArtReach programs. Many of them then became volunteers and trainers for the ArtReach organization. Those Bosnian teachers, as well as hundreds of others from places around our globe who have been given the same tools for healing and change, continue to use and share them with members of their community. Today, ArtReach has benefited thousands of lives from places as far away as the Middle East and as close to home as its own U.S. Gulf Coast. ArtReach is committed to serving all people with an approach that heals through imagination – something they believe is most effective and cross-cultural. Universal Benefits The benefits of ArtReach long survive the departure of their training teams. ArtReach’s “Train the Trainers” program prepares a select cadre of talented members of the local professional community to become regional ArtReach trainers. A professional training other professionals is a proven model that can have an effect on a large and diverse population, ensure sustainability of the model, and leverage financial and human resources. ArtReach further ensures its sustainability by providing ongoing supervision and mentoring for these regional trainers until they are able to continue the work on their own. Complementing Culture ArtReach Teams begin their preparation with a careful study of the cultural ideologies and economic characteristics of the country, region or community that form the backdrop for the experience of trauma. The team training facilitators then designs a specific curriculum for each workshop to complement those ideologies and economic characteristics. Thus, the ArtReach Model® is meaningful and relevant for the workshop participants themselves, and for the children with whom they work.