101 Mindful Arts-Based Activities to Get Children and Adolescents Talking

Working with Severe Trauma, Abuse and Neglect Using Found and Everyday Objects

Offering 101 creative, mindfulness-based activities, this book is a highly useful resource for engaging therapeutically with children aged 5-17 who have experienced severe trauma. With minimal preparation and only everyday objects required, the activities can be used in a number of settings. Case studies throughout show the many positive outcomes.

Many children who have experienced serious trauma are withdrawn and closed off, making it difficult to engage with them in therapy effectively. This book offers a compendium of therapeutic activities that will help children who have endured painful abuse to open up, so that they can learn to express their feelings and therapy can be directed towards their individual needs.

From useful techniques for bridging memory gaps to using masks for self-expression, the innovative activities use mindfulness, art and play to help children feel relaxed and responsive. The activities require very little preparation, and use only everyday items that are easy to access and can be used time and time again. Case studies throughout offer a helpful demonstration of how the activities work in practice.

This is an ideal resource for use with children in therapeutic, home and school settings. It is appropriate to use with children aged 5-17 who have experienced trauma, physical abuse, sexual abuse, forced migration and severe neglect, as well as those with acute depression, anxiety and behavioural difficulties.

'For helping professionals working with severely traumatized children and adolescents – those who may be victims of physical abuse, sexual abuse, removal from the home or sex trafficking – Dawn D'Amico, LCSW, PhD, offers clinically-validated, clinically-sophisticated exercises (including case examples and implementation instructions) designed to establish rapport, safety and support. The highly ingenious and practical exercises are organized to promote therapeutic growth in three important areas of self-expression, coping and positive thinking, and offer state-of-the-art strategies certain to enable growth, development and a sense of being understood among traumatized clients.'
– Jeanne C. Marsh, PhD, MSW, George Herbert Jones Distinguished Service Professor, University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration

'A must-have for clinicians working with children. Dr. D'Amico has put together a fabulous collection of simple, effective activities with examples. The book is easy to read and should be easy to use! I anticipate using these techniques in practice and sharing the book with fellow practitioners. I am enthusiastic about art and the potential for healing!'
– Julia Ostendorf, MD, FAAP, 25 years in general pediatrics practice, clinical instructor PA program

'As an attorney who regularly works with children in the capacity of a Guardian ad Litem in both juvenile and family law matters, I found this book exceptionally helpful. Oftentimes, and as Dr. D'Amico points out, children who have been through traumatic life experiences are hesitant to open up and discuss these events – especially with a stranger. These exercises are great “ice breakers” to use in an effort to avoid further traumatizing these children, and instead giving them a safe environment to express their feelings and begin the healing process. I highly recommend this book and plan to use many of these exercises in the near future.'
– Breanne M. Bucher, Attorney at Law, Walden & Schuster, S.C., Juvenile Law Section Chair – Waukesha County Bar Association