St Machar Academy - Drawing and Talking

Drawing and Talking

Drawing and Talking is a programme designed to support young people who are struggling with their emotions, allowing them to process uncomfortable feelings that may be creating a barrier to their learning and wellbeing. The intervention is designed to be a therapeutic opportunity to use drawing to explore and approach difficult life experiences and feelings as well as being able to share, process and understand through talking.

"Drawing and Talking" is delivered at St Machar Academy by Miss Wills, Art and Design Teacher on a one-to-one basis weekly for a 30 minute session over 8-12 weeks.

Miss Wills

Aims

To provide a safe and contained space to allow the young person to explore and process their feelings and emotions through the unconscious process of drawing and the cognitive process of talking.

Criteria

This programme is designed for young people who have experienced barriers to their mental and emotional wellbeing through past or current trauma or worries or preoccupations. Pupils will be referred by their guidance teacher. Pupils should not already be receiving any treatment from a professional within the mental health sector.

Measured Impact

Through observation, discussions and pupil and parent feedback we can observe any improvement in the young person's general, mental and emotional wellbeing. Pupils will be given the opportunity to complete an evaluation form allowing them to explore their prior and post session feelings and wellbeing. Pupils will also be given the opportunity to discuss their feelings over an audio/video recording at their discretion to document the impact of the sessions.