Expressive Arts School Based Model in the Omaha World Herald May 2022

Cilck here for link to article about Expressive Arts and the Connections Program

Expressive Arts School Based Group -Positive Outcomes Reported

https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/step_reports/21/

Betsy Funk, contracts with Project Harmony’s Connections program to offer ‘The GREAT Kids Group’ in the Omaha Metro area (Nebraska, USA). ‘The GREAT Kids Group’ is an 8-week school-based expressive arts group designed to assist children and teens in recognizing, processing, and appropriately expressing their emotions. Project Harmony’s Connection program in conjunction with school personnel identify elementary and middle school students who may benefit from participating in ‘The GREAT Kids Group’. These students are identified by teachers or school counselors who have concerns about the students’ emotional well-being based on disclosures by parents, teachers and/or the students themselves. They are invited to participate in the group and this participation is approved by their guardian or caregiver. This group has been provided to elementary, middle and high school students in several different public school settings throughout the Omaha Metro area from 2016-2021. Betsy Funk contracted with UNO STEPS program to evaluate initial findings of the groups effectiveness resulting in positive outcomes thus far. Groups have continued to be provided in numerous schools in the Omaha, Bellevue, and Millard School Districts.

Betsy recieves Project Harmony Kids First Award!

I was honored this month to be one of Project Harmony’s Kids First Award recipients! I am lucky to have so many amazing colleagues and family members to support me in my life and career! Pictured with me is my long time mentor and friend, Vickie Peyton.

Expressive Arts in the Schools!

I have been contracted by Connections with Project Harmony to begin providing Expressive Arts Groups to children in area public schools. My first experience was with Fontenelle Elementary 2nd and 3rd graders.  I worked with six children for six weeks including two follow up groups. These children were identified as needing some encouragement to speak up in class and to improve social skills in order to make new friends.  By the end of the series, the children were talking more to one another and showing their personalities and sharing of themselves in the group. One of the children's mothers called to inform me that her son had improved so much during the course of the group that it was brought up during conferences, and he reported being comfortable playing basket ball with the other boys at recess!  This feedback reinforces that Expressive Arts does work and even some exposure to groups like these can make some big improvements in kids lives.  Our group was even interviewed by a local TV station to show our contribution to No-Name Calling week. You can see the clip at

 http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/Special-effort-has-students-paying-closer-attention-to-what-they-say-366079771.html

My next group will take place at Millard Middle school with pre-teen girls. Please message me for more information and to learn how to bring an Expressive Arts group to your school.

This group participated in a project as a part of no-name calling week which we call "Speak Peace".

Final banner created by the children which hung in the main hallway.

The kids designed T-shirts for their final project together.

Expressive Arts Workshop -Project Harmony Wellness Day Event

Project Harmony hosted their first annual all staff Wellness Day on 8-20-2015! I was honored to be asked to provide an Expressive Arts experience which would include a discussion on the use of Expressive Arts in terms of self-care and wellness and an art process. Each person created a beautiful art piece which symbolized their unique contribution to Project Harmony. These individual pieces were then assembled into a larger collaborative art piece.  The symbol of a butterfly was chosen to represent the beautiful transformation and positive change that occurs for children and families through their interaction and involvement with Project Harmony.  This workshop allowed time for reflection, inspiration, and collaboration and a sense of creative unity for the staff. So many beautiful and inspirational works of art were created but I will just share a few. The final piece will be finished with the addition of some children's artwork and will be posted upon completion. Thank you to Project Harmony for your dedication to children and families! 

Collaborative image as it was coming together but not fully completed! Looking beautiful already.

Mandala making as a coping skill for relaxation and meditation

A Mandala [from the Sanskrit for circle] is a complex design that, in Eastern Spiritual tradition, is used in religious practice for meditation or contemplation. The images are prescribed by tradition and are drawn, painted, modeled [as in sand sculpture], or even danced. 

In Jungian Psychology, the mandala [or magic circle] is visualized in dreams symbolizing the dreamer's striving for unity of self and completeness.

I like to introduce clients to the concept of Mandalas as a tool to help with relaxation and meditation. Making and coloring mandalas is often a much deeper practice than coloring. Many clients find that while it is easy to do, it brings a sense of calm focus that is missing from our everyday lives. It is not hard to do and you do not need to be an "artist" to color a mandala.  

As one client, Jessica stated, "When coloring the mandalas I kind of got sucked into it. I found that I didn't find myself worrying about anything while I was making it.  It distracts you from your problems and brings a sense of calm focus." 

Here are some of her mandalas that she agreed to share. Keep in mind she is new to Mandala making and described herself as not much of an artist!  Now she will work on mandalas at home on her own as one way to take a mental break from an anxious mind and busy schedule.

Expressive Arts Exchange Project-Nebraska Children's Home

One of the services I offer is consultation and professional guidance using the Expressive Arts in an agency or workplace.  In this case, I was asked by a colleague to help her agency find a way to incorporate Expressive Arts in their center so that they could offer a creative experience to staff or clients.  After a couple of brainstorming sessions where we discussed specifics such as space availability, agency needs, financial limitations, and time constraints we came up with the idea of the Expressive Arts Exchange Center.  The idea was that this would be a small center with a predetermined set of brief expressive arts activities which could be changed out on a monthly basis to keep the material new and fresh.  This was to a be a center where staff or clients could come and spend a few minutes in a quiet state of creative contemplation and create a small piece of art which could then be shared with the group.  In a agency that deals with very stressful and complicated issues, a center such as this could provide an avenue to allow clients and staff to take a breath and use the arts as a small reprieve from the stress of the day. We created the mantra, "Exhale...Explore...Express!" , to set the tone for this creative center.  Here are some photos of the space. I hope to have even more comments and photos to share later. Please contact me for information or consultation on bringing a creative element to your workplace.

Expressive Arts Exchange Project

Art pieces shared on the Expressive Arts Exchange board

Summer Teen Art Therapy Group - 2014

Here are some updated photos of artwork created during my summer art therapy group for teens. Permission was given to share these works online. We have been having a great time learning to express ourselves through our artwork and making new friends as well.  Some of the art experiences were completely new techniques so the teens enjoyed learning new ways to express their thoughts and feelings.  So far, we have used numerous processes including string art, touch drawing and spontaneous word collage. We have two more sessions left and will close with a gallery night where the teens will be able to display and share all of their amazing work with their family and friends. Stay tuned for pics from gallery night open house! Feel free to contact me for more information on future offerings in Expressive Arts for children and teens.

string art

string art

string art

string art

touch drawing

Touch drawing