Art Therapy4all is delighted to announce that we have been awarded Lottery funding to continue and expand our 'Beyond Words' Project into 2018. This funding will enable us to increase the number of people we reach. 
Director, Cate Smail says; “This funding will enable us to increase the number of people living with Dementia that we reach. With the Lottery funding in 2016-2017, Art Therapy4all successfully delivered art therapy in five care homes across North London and Hertfordshire."
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All the care homes  reported that they found it to be very beneficial for their residents, who were able to express thoughts about what they gained from the service:
“Art therapy helps me to be creative and I find I can express feelings in my artwork that I couldn't before."

"It has been a good opportunity for me to be with other people and share my thoughts and feelings though my art."
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In 2018 Art Therapy4all aims to support, stimulate and enhance the lives of people living with dementia by introducing art therapy to four new care homes in North London, as well as continuing to deliver art therapy in the five established settings.

Cate Smail says: “We want to continue to raise awareness of art therapy as a way to support people with dementia and offer them the chance to develop skills and interests, regain a sense of control, and build self esteem and independence.”

This project will enhance emotional wellbeing through meaningful art therapy activities and create opportunities for residents to be creative and expressive through art making.

Art therapy can help and support people with dementia cope with feelings of isolation, fear, confusion, anxiety and depression, as well as build stronger relationships within the care home.

We would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to Big Lottery Fund for enabling us to continue to work with the Beyond Words Project 2018.  

Example of Memory Book
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Making a memory book in Art Therapy

Next week we will be introducing the concept of the 'memory book' to residents we work with in a care home. 

Our aim is for each resident to create their own memory book, using art as the tool to create the pages that will help them explore who they are. It will also hopefully provide opportunities to build self-esteem through being creative, giving them a sense of achievement and pride in their work. 

It can be an object that can contain a persons past life experiences, childhood memories, interests, family and friends, likes and dislikes or just a book of the art they have created during therapy. 

We will be looking at topics like....

• Family 
• Key Life Events 
• Places They've Lived
• Childhood Memories 
• Interests/Hobbies 
• Religious/Spiritual 
• Holidays
• Travel - Places Visited 
• Work History/Occupation 
• Favourite Foods/Films/Music/Books/Objects  
• Accomplishments

"Certitude provides personalised support across London to people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health support needs as well as their families and carers." - Certitude 

Art Therapy4all facilitated 6 workshops for the staff at Certitude as a part of their 'Wellbeing at Work week'.
​Art therapy was used as a form of mindfulness to help the staff de-stress from work pressures and any difficulties they may be facing, and to improve wellbeing.

Making Marks to Music 

The staff were invited to do some exercises where they were invited to make marks in response to music. 

They were asked to think about how the music made them feel, what patterns/shapes/colours occurred for them and in response allowing these feelings to flow through them and onto the paper in front of them.