Hi I’m Erica!
I’m an art therapist and licensed mental health therapist that works with people living with dementia. Have you have noticed your Loved One more withdrawn, lacking confidence and unable to focus on things like they used to?
i hELP PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA
Through art therapy I will help you and your Loved One living with dementia feel happier, more connected and like there’s still hope along this journey.
art therapy for dementia can help the whole family
Does caregiving ever make you feel like your life is spinning out of control? Are you struggling to get the best care for your Loved One and still keep it together?
Unsure of where to turn or how to engage them?
You didn’t sign up for this journey, but you are determined to find ways to keep your Loved One happy and emotionally fed.
With art therapy, your Loved One can feel a sense of happiness and success, that other families have said “lingers beyond our session”. They’ll feel a sense of control and confidence by using art supplies that meet them where they are. Art therapy sessions will engage them in all domains of the brain AND most importantly, they will feel joy. And when you see that joy, you will feel it too.
My approach to art therapy for dementia
I use creative therapy techniques including, but not limited to art, movement, music and talk therapies.
Art Therapy is a creative therapy that can speak beyond words. It is process-based, meaning a lot of the work your Loved One does can happen without words. For many the ability to not focus on words and tap into who they are that day can be freeing and empowering.
I hand over all the control to clients in session. This allows them to feel a sense of ownership they’re not used to. They are given time and space to be just as they are. By giving them the opportunity to have this control and be who they are, they in turn create positive connections to the art supplies and myself. As sessions go on you’ll start to notice a more confident person, who is proud of what they’re doing and the work they’re creating.
helping you find joy on your dementia journey with art therapy
Art therapy for dementia is for your Loved One if:
You are looking for meaningful engagement and stimulation, where your Loved One living with dementia can feel like their very best self.
You’re ready to see joy again in your Loved One’s eyes.
You live near Boston, MA.
frequently asked questions
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We come to your home! Some of the towns we service include Cambridge, Belmont, Lexington, Melrose, Medford, Malden, Everett, Chelsea, Somerville, Arlington, and Chestnut Hill! Don’t see your community listed, send an email to find out if I travel to your town - hello@arttherapistsathome.com
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To get started we will setup a free consultation, either by phone or video conferencing. In this meeting we will learn about each other and what your needs and wants are for your Loved One living with dementia. Click Contact and Fill Out a Form.
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After we connect and decide this is a good fit, I will drive to your home and meet your Loved One. In this first meeting your Loved One and I will get to know one another and try out a few different art experiences. Your Loved One and I will also decide whether this is a good fit. This gives them power to make the decision of whether art is a good connection tool for them.
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We continue with weekly sessions. In those first few sessions I am using my art therapy background to assess where your Loved One is, ie how they move, speak, read, comprehend. These factors help with deciding what art supplies work best for them and what projects might stimulate joy in their life.
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The core of what I do is create a relationship. I do not like to label clients to their diagnosis. Our relationship is created over a course of sessions and I recommend starting with a month of weekly sessions for this relationship to be created. From these first initial sessions I am learning more about the capabilities of your Loved One and they’re becoming more familiar and trusting of me.
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When someone has difficulty verbally communicating, it is often called aphasia. For some people life can be extremely difficult because the person might have no words and only rhythmic sounds as a response. In my experiences I’ve found that someone living with aphasia benefits greatly from these services. The creative process of creating art activates a part of their brain that is generally shut off from everyday life. Creating art allows the person to pass the conscious, voluntary parts of the brain and move into a world of involuntary free speech. Some client’s families have reported that they speak more in art therapy sessions and immediately after, than they do on a typical day. Read more about aphasia in dementia here
Get help from an art therapist…
you won’t regret it
