Special Lessons
(Photo Courtesy of Speech and Language Development Center) From comic books to virtual reality, therapists and teachers look forward at innovations in special needs programs....
Innovative Child Therapies
All kids need support; some just need a little more than others. View our list of effective therapies and resources for children with autism, ADHD, ODD, anxiety, and more.
Editor's Picks
Teddy Bear Hugs
Brooke Walker delivers a donation of Higgy Bears to CHOC.(Photo Courtesy of the Walker Family) This Tesoro High teen with scoliosis gives support and teddy...
Art Therapy for Emotional Healing
Feeling the stress of recent world events? Art therapy may help. Art is a fantastic coping mechanism and tool for emotional healing, wellness, self-care, stress...
Recent Articles
Summer Family Art
Learn about the benefits of practicing art as a family and some creative activities for parents and kids for fun, summer self-care. The art process allows the family to strengthen their bond through creativity and to appreciate each other’s different perspectives. It also empowers the family’s creative thinking and stimulates the family’s identity as a team. This, in turn, improves mental health and well-being for the family. Creative expression through the therapeutic art process allows the family to gain new insights about themselves and each other. It fosters creative thinking and is a healthy, creative outlet for the family. It...
Special Lessons
(Photo Courtesy of Speech and Language Development Center) From comic books to virtual reality, therapists and teachers look forward at innovations in special needs programs. Parents of special needs kids know the particulars of a home life designed to suit their child. It often involves helping their child navigate the world. Educators of special needs students — known as Resource Specialist Program teachers — have similar goals. Sometimes, with shifting resources and changing student needs. But they get through the best they can. So, a bit of ingenuity can pay off for educators and ultimately students. New tools and new...
Art Therapy OC
Art Therapy OC is a cheerful, colorful, encouraging, & inspirational art studio for all ages. Come explore the enjoyable world of Art, it's endless creative, expressive, & therapeutic benefits, & possibilities for healthy better-living. Everyone is a creative artist! Dr. Diana Shabtai, “MissDee” looks forward to seeing you and yours this season for some fun holistic self-care for mental health. Diana offers a wide variety of unique beneficial creative wellness workshop choices where the art is tailored especially for you! You may schedule a private session, creative play date, join her awesome “creative kids camps,” have a personalized pARTy, corporate...
Teddy Bear Hugs
Brooke Walker delivers a donation of Higgy Bears to CHOC.(Photo Courtesy of the Walker Family) This Tesoro High teen with scoliosis gives support and teddy bears to others like her On the outside, Brooke Walker always seemed like a happy, successful teenager — earning As in school, involved in extracurricular activities such as musical theater, choir, dance and hanging out with her friends. On the inside, life, or rather her body, was about to throw her a major curve. In October 2021, the 15-year-old’s father noticed a weird hump in her back. It turned out to be a symptom of...
Back-to-School Anxiety in 2022
(Photo Courtesy of Kelly Sikkemma/Unsplash) When news of pandemics and school shootings create anxiety, and cyberbullying causes fear, artistic expression, and present-moment awareness can instill calm. If the world feels more stressful to you than ever before, you’re not alone. COVID-19 and its unending variants, school shootings, cyberbullying, threats of nuclear war, climate catastrophes and a looming recession have us all on edge. So, it’s not surprising that many parents are unable to achieve a calm, present-moment awareness at any point during their day. Nor is it surprising that their children can feel that unease. But for them, there’s an...
Art Therapy for Emotional Healing
Feeling the stress of recent world events? Art therapy may help. Art is a fantastic coping mechanism and tool for emotional healing, wellness, self-care, stress relief and therapeutic creative expression — particularly when dealing the aftermath of this pandemic. Art making aids in healthy mindful communication and expression of feelings and emotions — such as grief, depression and trauma ... what we’ve all been experiencing lately. It is a fantastic mindful coping mechanism, helps healing and brings more clarity. There are many beneficial creative ways to utilize art in our daily lives to practice healthy expression. If possible, it’s always...