Benefiting from the positive power of
group activity
Today’s tweens and teens face more stressors and distractions than ever before. Their cell phone dependencies, peer relationships, family stressors and typical hormonal changes can lead to stress and tension. Left unattended, these physical manifestations can have lifelong consequences.
When students gather together and focus on a structured activity, positive change can happen!
My psychotherapy training has prepared me to use the arts as a valuable tool for healthy self-expression and resiliency in a motivating and fun-filled atmosphere. My goal as an arts group facilitator is to provide structured peer experiences that allow learning and creativity to flourish. In my Artz Groupz, I create a contained experience for the peer dynamic so that the members thrive in a positive, supportive environment.
My 6th grade daughter has been attending the Girlz Artz program since it began. Using art as a means of talking about academic pressures has provided her with an enriching experience that has helped her recognize the stress that middle school brings and then learn to put it into perspective. Lindsay creates a warm and nurturing environment that helps girls accept themselves as who they are and who they are becoming.
Relieving stress and developing social skills
Groups are an intimate and fun way for students to learn more about themselves and how to support others. Groups are an excellent supplement to individual tutoring and can help ease each student’s insecurities and sense of isolation.
In my arts-oriented peer groups, students learn how to:
- Cope with academic stress
- Ease anxiety
- Develop healthy decision-making skills
- Navigate peer and family relationships
I can also customize groups to address math fundamentals and essay writing. My Artz Groupz are small in size and provide a warm and safe environment for each child to ask questions, learn techniques and enjoy new experiences. In my groups, students paint, draw, sculpt, design, imagine and sketch using a wide variety of art materials. Art groups are designed for students of all ages and abilities, and many of my students find new interests while exploring their own creativity.
Group sessions run 75 minutes and meet monthly or weekly depending on participant availability.
