Art for the Soul 2020

Art for the Soul with Jackie Schuld, M.S.
Grief is messy. Individuals who experience the death of a loved one experience a full range of emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual reactions. When an adolescent is faced with loss, they may encounter additional hardships of being placed in foster care or with distant relatives, moving to a new location, changing schools, social isolation, and more. Many teens also find that no one is willing to directly talk with them about the grief they experience daily. Furthermore, the adolescent brain responds to grief differently because the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for cognitive processing and rational thought, is still forming throughout adolescence. Due to their decreased capacity for cognitive and rational thought, adolescents may experience a more difficult time processing the emotions of grief. This session will review an expressive-art-therapy-based high school curriculum designed for grieving teens called “Art for the Soul.” Art for the Soul provides a therapeutic space for teens to express and process their grief, learn healthy ways to cope, and explore how to build a meaningful life after loss. Art for the Soul began in January 2018 and continues to be taught every semester at an alternative charter school in Tucson, AZ. This session will provide practitioners and individuals with techniques and projects that can be used to bolster the soul of anyone experiencing grief.

Hive Track
Sunday, March 29, 2020
9 – 10:30AM
1.5 CEs
Room 212
Presentation #88