Arts psychotherapy: I am helping to give vulnerable children a voice
Cycling to work gives me a burst of energy before settling down in the office. Checking my diary and appointments, catching up with emails and prioritising tasks is my usual starting point, along with a strong coffee. My desk has a window that looks into the Young Oasis creche and as the morning progresses there’s a constant sound of babies and children laughing, crying, chatting, singing. It is the heart of the organisation and a reminder of the importance of the work that we all do here.
Advocating for a child’s needs is central to the work that we do, it requires persistence as well as sensitivity
Jo Parker
The Young Oasis Centre is part of Brighton Oasis Project and supports infants, children and young people from birth to the age of 25 who are affected by familial drug or alcohol misuse. These are some of the most vulnerable children and young people in our city. A multi-disciplinary team offers a range of services; the creche enables the parent or parents to access drug or alcohol treatment services, there is a therapy service, a programme of outdoor art-oriented and creative projects as well as a specialist young women’s alcohol worker.
Before my years of training to qualify as an integrative arts psychotherapist, I studied fine art and have always been interested in how we express ourselves and function in relation to the world and each other. In my current role I am both manager to the Young Oasis team and a practising psychotherapist, balancing the challenges of leadership with clinical work.
‘By my desk there’s an Olympic medal made of clay. This was given to me by a child living in kinship care.’ Photograph: Jo Parker
My daily diet includes scheduled meetings, report writing, supervisory tasks, the necessary frustrations of funding reapplication, but most importantly case work and therapy sessions with children and young people. On top of that there are many variables: phone calls and communications from social workers, parents, carers, teachers, workers, inquiries as well as emergencies and crucial child protection issues to be dealt with.
Lunch serves as a necessary refresh before clinical work; if the weather is terrible then I may dive next door to the family centre where the food is amazing, or alternatively I head the Soup Department, a van in the woodyard down the road.
There is strong sense of commitment from the team working together with these families. Advocating for a child’s needs is central to the work that we do, it requires persistence as well as sensitivity. For example, it may be that a child has been excluded from school because of their behaviour. Helping others understand the context of their lives is a way of accessing further support. We work hard to build relationships with the families, carers and professionals that are in a child’s life.
Being with the children and young people is an inspiration. By my desk there’s an Olympic medal made of clay. This was given to me by a child living in ‘kinship care’, who kept running away from school, barefoot. They would often be found in the creche next door where they felt safe. Children are incredibly resourceful at getting their needs met, and this is often misunderstood. All arrive with a different story, some of them have never been really listened to.
‘The use of traditional, as well as less typical, art materials underpins all activity at the project.’ Photograph: Jo Parker
Children turn up feeling like they are the problem but often there are themes of neglect, domestic violence, stigmatisation, grief and trauma. Last year approximately 60% of our clients were living in care, generally they come from all kinds of backgrounds, not just areas associated with poverty.
Every team member is impacted by the work we do. Regular clinical supervision is essential for me and my colleagues. The use of traditional, as well as less typical, art materials underpins all activity at the project. In the therapy rooms there are paints, clay, a sand tray, objects, puppets, dressing-up clothes and musical instruments. This toolbox allows children to express what they are feeling. It is not about being an artist, it is about communication. An image, assembly or set of actions can speak volumes.
‘It is not about being an artist, it is about communication. An image, assembly or set of actions can speak volumes.’ Photograph: Jo Parker
Within the therapeutic space any work produced is confidential. The Outdoor Art Groups serve a different purpose and bodies of work are produced which we exhibit. We protect children’s identity but give them a voice.
The final rituals before leaving work are completing case notes, clearing the therapy rooms, locking all filing cabinets and turning off the computer.
Once I had an “Oi, Miss!” from a client who spotted me, gesticulating to his friends, “That’s my therapist!” but these are rare occurrences.
Essential to my health are my family, partner, friends and a life outside of work. Regular yoga is more than a luxury for me and walking into the wild is also necessary. My own creative practice remains important – contemporary art is my core interest – and I also enjoy theatre, performance and cinema.
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