Art therapy supports local kids

Southeast Cancer Support Services will offer the first ever art therapy support group, thanks to a partnership with Mishelle Aminov Kosonovsky.

Called Heartstrings; Creating Connections Through Art and Therapy, the program will offer an interactive creative way for children of a variety of ages to process the loss of a parent, grandparent or close family member.

They will participate in weekly sessions together with a caregiver, using a variety of artistic projects to explore their feelings and the journey they are on as they grieve their loss.

“They will experience a supportive environment where, children and their caregivers can process grief, strengthen their bond, and find healing through creative expression in practicing art as therapy,” a Feb. 3 press release stated.

Kosonovsky uses her experience with fine arts and art therapy training as well as work in daycares, and the Children’s Hospital surgical department alongside psychotherapists. She has works of art displayed in gallery spaces in Winnipeg and is a working artist who’s part of an art collective.

“My approach centers on fostering a safe, compassionate, and engaging space for healing and self-expression,” she said.

Currently studying at the Kutenal Art Therapy Institute, Kosonovsky is a believer in the power of the arts when it comes to healing.

“Art therapy is a mental health and wellness practice that uses creative processes, such as drawing, painting, and sculpting, to help individuals explore emotions, improve self-awareness, and foster healing,” she said. “It provides a non-verbal outlet for expression and can be especially beneficial for those who may find it challenging to articulate their thoughts and feelings through words alone.

Southeast Cancer Support Services executive director Cindi Rempel Patrick said this is the first group of its kind in Steinbach.

And while an art therapy program was on the radar, it took an approach from Kosonovsky who wanted to run the program, to make it happen.

“She stepped forward and the all the stars aligned, and we were able to do it,” Rempel Patrick said.

The fact this program is for children also appealed to the local cancer support group.

“There aren’t a lot of programs that are available for children wit this specific type of therapy,” she said. “It’s tough when kids have to go through that journey.”

Rempel Patrick said it’s important to realize that when there’s a cancer diagnosis, there’s an entire family who goes on that journey.

“When you wake up in the morning, the kids, the mom, the dad, everybody thinks about it,” she said. “That’s what you think about, and the stress, the not knowing takes a huge toll on all the family members.”

The 10 week program will launch on Feb. 17 and will take place in the Southeast Cancer Support Services office at 215 – 98 Brandt Street in Steinbach.

Applicants have until Feb. 17 to register by calling the SCSS office at 204-326-8571 or by email at info@secancersupport.ca.

The organization also offers Cancer Connect, a group for anyone going through or have recently completed cancer treatments.

That group assists in dealing with feelings of isolation, offers skills to encourage a positive way of dealing with the diagnosis, and empowers people to share and listen to others. With no charge to attend, the program runs Mondays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the SCSS boardroom. It is facilitated by psychosocial oncology therapist Irene Maendel.