Expressive Art Therapy (EXAT) has ancient roots, going all the way back to the earliest known healing rituals that employed art-making, masks, music and dance.

With the advent of modern psychotherapy in the early twentieth century, the arts continued to play an important role. A qualified Expressive Arts Therapist uses a variety of art modalities such as visual arts, drama, movement, music, poetry and writing. Each modality is directed towards increasing individual and collective social and emotional well-being. In the past year, HBH has had an increase in Client’s ranging from the ages of 32- 60. As a result, the need for supporting children who were experiencing the loss of a parent was increasing. Cher Curshen joined HBH in October 2009. Cher is a gifted person with a special touch.

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“I feel that my mom is in heaven going to the kingdom of God and she’s already there and I feel she’s kind of in my house because she’s inside ME and I also have a picture of her in my house. My Mom is standing beside God above the clouds when you go inside the building that’s in Heaven you are in Heaven it glows brightly inside when I look at my picture it feels that I’m in Heaven that’s because the image of God looks like me when I’m older!”

 

“Art cannot be tamed, it always has to express itself LOUDLY! And so do I. When Cher comes to visit me at school, it’s a chance for me to express myself and the way I am feeling.”                                                      Christian Botelho, 10, son of Susan Borges 1977-2009