psychology in movement
KA2 erasmus + project
SPARK
Project Background
Approximately two-thirds of young people will have been exposed to a traumatic event by the time they turn 16. Experiencing a traumatic event can potentially affect both their current and future mental health. Trauma occurs when a young person witnesses or experiences overwhelming negative experiences. These effects do not dissipate as time goes on, but trauma continues to be re-experienced.
A primary obstacle in treating these recurring traumatic memories is that young people often experience difficulties verbalizing and expressing their trauma(s). Evidence shows that utilizing expressive/creative arts therapies can greatly help in processing trauma.
For the above reasons, the participant organizations, based on similar needs analysis drew up three main objectives that would like to reach through the SPARK project:
1. To create new methods through which the young people receiving the service from the partner organizations will benefit from. All the young people who receive support from the partner organizations are considered as vulnerable due to the difficult events experienced in their lives
2. Through the use of arts; mainly drama, art and body movement, enable young people to use tactile materials to create symbols and images, bypassing the need for verbal language, and allowing for a better understanding of their emotions through the development of a visual vocabulary
3. Through the arts therapy tools learned through this project, key workers will acquire the ability to help young people heal from trauma in ways that words alone cannot
For the above reasons, we have created 3 Training courses that will offer possibilities to learn about trauma-informed practices and therapy approaches.
We will introduce you:
Drama Therapy (happening in Malta, 2021)
Art Therapy (happening in Romania, 2022)
Body oriented therapy (somatic developmental psychology) (happening in Slovenia, 2022)
SPARK Toolkit
inside you can find 180 interesting tools (workshops, activities, methods) based on the methodology of Drama, Art and Movement, that can be used in working with sensitive youth.
DRAMA Spark
training course
14 - 20 October 2021
Rabat, Malta
OBJECTIVES:
Introduce participants to the advantages of using drama with young people recovering from trauma
Discover new ways of transforming trauma to support young people such as by exploring new identities, psycho-social integration and reframing
To give tools to youth workers to support young people through the appropriate drama techniques
Combine theoretical explorations with experiential learning
Help participants through practices of self-care which is vital when working with victims/survivors of trauma so as to reduce the risk of vicarious trauma
More info about the training in the document.
The training course will be teaching new tools and a body of theoretical knowledge about applied art therapy, as a means to help rehabilitate and
soothe the youth affected by trauma.
Objectives of the training course:
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Create group cohesion compatible with experiential learning and art-making.
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Facilitate various applied art therapy experiences.
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Teach and ensure the understanding of the basics of psychological trauma neuro-biology and how art therapy is effective in its treatment of the youth population.
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Facilitate and ensure the understanding of an art-therapy session structure.
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Clarify ethical considerations and cultural sensitivity in trauma-informed practice.
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Train the basic vocabulary for using different art media with a therapeutic purpose.
More info about the training, you can find HERE!
