Art therapy of psychosomatic manifestations in children

Creation of color pages when working with psychosomatic manifestations in children

Art therapy of psychosomatic manifestations is one of the main requests in the work of child psychologists and the search for the necessary approaches and methods of effective psychological assistance. The use of color therapy in working with this issue is one of the effective and exciting methods of art therapy. The use of the color page method will help to implement a number of very important psycho-corrective tasks when accompanying a client with psychosomatic reactions and symptoms.
Color, as an important and significant indicator of psycho-emotional well-being, not only in the human body, but also in nature itself, provides us with the necessary wave impulses that stimulate or, conversely, slow down processes that require harmonization or stabilization. So, after the bright colors of summer, nature is filled with the colors of autumn as a necessary condition for saturation before a period of rest, color silence, gray and white colors of winter. Let’s try to figure out how such color phenomena give the art therapist the opportunity to use the healing properties of color when working with diseases. If we consider the causes of diseases, then conditionally, or symbolically, they can be divided into two categories: when an organ or system functions too strongly or too weakly. For example, any inflammatory process requires hyper-efforts of harmonization and balance from the body and psyche, while using the body’s resource forces and immune processes to achieve the harmonious functioning of a certain system. Why, then, to help the body, we do not use the magic of color?
Consider the basic principles of using color in psychosomatics:
1. Warm colors should be used to increase the tone and immunity of the body in order to accumulate strength to adapt to change. When the functions of the body are weakened, the processes in it seem to freeze. The necessary color will give in to the inner fire to start the engine of recovery and the constructive functioning of all vital systems. In this case, color can be conditionally considered as a necessary fuel for movement and survival. Warm bright colors awaken the forces of the body. And let the sun of healing rise inside.
2. Cold colors symbolically soothe and cool our body, sending us into a space of inner peace and balance. Figuratively, this can be described as follows: peering into the depths of the inner sky, we find peace and serenity for our body and soul. Try asking the child himself what color will help him gain strength in order to become healthy. Believe me, he will quickly and spontaneously give the right answer. Children have not yet lost the opportunity to hear themselves in nature. Create several color pages in an art book with your child: simply select different clippings, stickers, postcards, stamps and other art materials and stick them on the page in the way the child likes. Sometimes the creation of just three color pages is enough to get the healing process off the ground, and this is possible even when the third antibiotic does not help reduce the level of leukocytes and lymphocytes.
3. The long process of healing and therapy requires endurance and patience from the child’s body, skillful distribution and accumulation of forces in order to nurture new changes in the body. And here color can also be a good helper. Color pages in earth tones, which make it possible to conditionally ground the processes taking place in the body and soul, will help you go through a difficult and very long path of changes at the stage of recovery. Create pages in brown, black, gray – do not be afraid, there are no bad colors, because the earth itself is dark and black when it gains strength to grow new grains and fruits.
Here are a few topics for creating color pages when working with children with psychosomatic diseases:
1. “The color that relieves pain.”
2. “The color that gives strength to be healthy.”
3. “The color that will help get rid of the disease.”
4. “The color of joy and health.”
5. “The color of getting rid of ailments.”
6. “The color of health.”
7. “Color is a helper for the body and soul.”
8. “The story of my recovery in color.”
9. “How I want to be healthy.”
10. “Rainbow of health.”
11. “Health as a color.”
12. “Color is like a pill for diseases.”
13. “I am being treated with color.”
For effective work, provide the child with interesting material for creativity, because the variety of materials, their texture, shape, palette of shades and textures provide the necessary variety to search for psycho-emotional healing resources. Let everything be there: from the simplest to the most complex material, from inconspicuous to insanely bright, from pleasant to the touch to disgusting, from garbage to exquisitely unique material for creativity. After all, creativity, like life itself, provides us with many ways to heal ourselves!

© Victoria Nazarevich 2015