Group Art Therapy

Together, we can accomplish our goals.

Group therapy allows clients with similar and overlapping goals to come and work together under the supervision of the facilitating therapist. Grounded Gem offers various collaborating group therapies, including The Art of Communication: Collaboration of Art and Speech Therapy. Reach out if you are interested in group therapy work.

Our Work in Action

Olga de Amaral - Group Therapy Art Exhibition 

“For me, the most important thing is that my mind has freedom.” —Olga de Amaral

For Hispanic Heritage Month, our group began studying the Colombian textile artist Olga de Amaral. She created different types of artwork and installations using thread. She would paint and dye threads to create unique colors, then weave them together to create different forms and creations to alter color and space.

Our Process

Artistic Steps / Therapeutic Elements 

• Step 1: First, we painted our paper with colors that inspired us to create an abstract painting. We painted until “our minds felt free,” just like Olga de Amaral! We utilized long brush strokes with movement for regulation and to encourage coping strategies.

• Step 2: Next, we cut the paintings into strips. These strips symbolized the threads that Amaral worked with. While working on this process, we encouraged and practiced the concept of trusting ourselves to create something even when we don’t know what the end result will look like—and working through that anxiety.

• Step 3: Lastly, we took the strips of paper (which represent Amaral’s threads) and turned them into new art forms. This encouraged the exploration of creativity and helped in developing their imagination skills. This also challenged them and their executive functioning, frustration tolerance, sense of self, and trust, as well as sustained attention skills. The art was a strong enough motivator to encourage them to be resilient as we worked through this process together while also acting as a means to self-regulate. With some speed bumps along the way, the installations represent their creative problem solving, abstract thinking, trust, and patience.