Healing by Expression
Sharieff’s Project offers Healing by Expression for children ages 6 to 10. The group will be facilitated in 6-week intervals, one 90-minute session per week. The Group facilitators will use the Arts - including music, dance, storytelling, drawing, painting, skits, etc. in order to support children in expressing themselves, their feelings and living the daily trauma that has come to be accepted as “the norm." Contact Us for enrollment.
Here is an example of a recent Healing by Expression session made possible by Sharieff's Project and held at Yae's Center for Healing and Development in Pawtucket that featured "A Play in a Day" with director Elizabeth Keiser:
We know that children grow at different stages developmentally, and they have to grow into their own. Children in general do not have the language to express themselves, their pain or the situations that they find themselves in, and they are powerless to change that. From this premise we believe that using the Arts will support children through the healing process, while teaching them new coping skills and increasing their self esteem and and communication skills.
We realize that just as adults are not all the same, all children are not the same. We want to effect change in the children who have lost their voice and are afraid to speak up. We want to teach the children to be assertive, not aggressive, and respectful with good manners while building on their strengths and reinforcing their natural abilities and talent. Children learn defiant, disrespectful behavior over time - for attention seeking and or as a defensive behavior.
After being told to “shut up” or called “stupid dumb ass,” for example, children come to believe that these labels are true about them. It leads to low self esteem or no self esteem and feelings of “I am not good enough” or “I don’t matter.”
Upon completion of Healing by Expression, we want our children to speak up, speak out speak until someone hears and responds. And we want our children to know and demonstrate their brilliance.
Sessions will include 10-12 children per session depending on age and/or developmental stage. Pre-registration and intake forms required. Please understand that your child may not have a guaranteed opening every 6-week cycle in order to provide for all children who are interested. Contact Us for enrollment.
