January can be a time for people to experience an enormous amount of pressure to drastically change themselves. Cloaked in the culturally accepted paradigm of New Year’s Resolutions, this is a precarious time for people struggling with body image issues and eating disorders. Food is not the Scrooge! Many of us fear food during the […]
A Thanksgiving Art Therapy Exercise For Groups or Individuals: Thank You Cards
All too often we focus on the negative aspects of our relationship with food, and our bodies. We forget that we may have developed some of our attitudes and actions for reasons that, at the time, were the best coping strategies we could come up with. Eventually we may outgrow these strategies or they may […]
November Art Therapy Activity: Child’s Play
by Dr. Deah Schwartz This month I want to address something that arises for folks living in parts of the country where the weather is beginning to become more inclement and lulls many of us into a more sedentary mode. One of the tenets of the Health at Every Size(r) paradigm is incorporating joyful movement […]
A “Creepy” Art Therapy Activity for Halloween
It’s that time of year again, when the air and leaves are crisp. It’s a colorful time for many and winter is fast-approaching. Halloween is almost here which means Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here before you know it! This Halloween let’s try a festive art activity. But first a little refresher on the history of […]
Art Therapy & The Science of Happiness
Special: Download a PDF of a body image outline, similar to what’s used in the videos. The following videos provide a brief, but insightful look into the positive effects that art therapy can have on people. You can also download the body image outline used in the art therapy activity, created by Soul Pancake. Enjoy! […]
Note to Self – Therapeutic Expressive Arts Activity
by Dr. Deah Schwartz The winter holiday season when stripped of the emphasis on commercialism and overindulgence is, at its roots, about joy, peace, and the changing of the season. Remembering to find time to tune into those aspects during the month of December is challenging but truly helpful if we want to stay connected […]
SprED the Word – Therapeutic Expressive Arts Activity for Eating Disorder Awareness Month
by Dr. Deah Schwartz Therapeutic Tidbit of the Month Did you know that February is National Eating Disorders Awareness Month? February is also a month of unique challenges for our clients and those of us working in the fields of eating disorders, health and wellness, body image, and size acceptance. With the holiday season […]
Unmasked – Expressive Arts Therapy Directive
The following expressive arts directive is called Unmasked and is by contributing guest author Dr. Deah Schwartz. Once a month, Dr. Schwartz shares an art therapy idea or activity to facilitate exploration, increased awareness and healing in the areas of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Some of these activities may need to be facilitated over […]
What’s My Line: Drawing and Art Activity to Help With Self Criticism and Judgement
The following group art and drawing activity is called What’s My Line? and is by contributing guest author Dr. Deah Schwartz. It’s a variation on an old children’s party game. Once a month, Dr. Schwartz shares an art activity to facilitate exploration, increased awareness and healing in the areas of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. […]
Making Hand Puppets or Glove Puppets For Kids & Groups
The following art activity for making hand and glove puppets for kids or groups is by contributing guest author Dr. Deah Schwartz. Every month, Dr. Schwartz shares an art therapy exercise to facilitate exploration, increased awareness and healing in the areas of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Some of these directives may need to be […]