Mural & Art Therapy Groups at Pulaski Co. Juvenile Detention Center
Summer 2023
I spent a couple of days a week over the Little Rock school district’s 2023 summer break facilitating group art therapy for the young people at the JDC. Our theme was resilience. I can’t share the individual artwork they created during those sessions, but what I can share as an example of their effort is their stunning mural!
During those summer months, Rachel Wheat, Heather Paige, and I collaborated with the young residents and the amazing staff at the detention center to create a mural in their recreation area that they could be proud of - one that shares a message of hope for future residents. (Special thanks to Officer Clark and Interim Director Shepherd!)
We used Rachel’s original submission for the main wall, tweaked slightly by the residents’ input. The lotus, the bird, the acorn, the pinecone, the mountains. the butterfly - all symbols that were important to them to include and will be relevant for future residents. They loved the message, “My Challenges Help Me Grow,” which was a nod to their garden area. And Heather’s contribution - the ribbon - extended the mural by wrapping the color all the way around the area, connecting it to the stairway entry. It was amazing to witness the stories of these young people, to work alongside them, and to watch these young artists bringing their vision to life!
More about the JDC:
“The Pulaski County Juvenile Detention Center provides 24 hour 7 day a week services to juveniles between the ages of 10 and 18 years of age. Referrals from other counties are accepted as space is available; however, the target population of Pulaski County receives first priority. The Center has a capacity of 32 beds overseen by the Juvenile Detention Director.
The Pulaski County Juvenile Detention Center is designed to reduce the number of juveniles presently held in the adult Regional Detention Facility and provide short-term care in a staff secure setting. The philosophy of Pulaski County Juvenile Detention Center is that youth have the capacity to change and can be helped to achieve independence. Their mission is To provide a safe and secure environment that meets or exceeds standards and delivers meaningful rehabilitative programs for detained juveniles.”
Group Art Therapy at Ferncliff’s Rainbow Family Camp
23-25 June 2023 (Art Therapy Group: 24 June)
As an extension of my internship at Cardinal Counseling, I facilitated a family art therapy group at Ferncliff’s Rainbow Family Camp, which was such a treat. This was my first time at Ferncliff (beautiful!) and we had the best time in “the Q” making sun-printed Pride flags! So many lovely creations that day - and so many heartfelt messages passed on to future participants!
More about the camp:
“Rainbow Family Camp is a weekend camp retreat experience specifically geared towards families with LGBTQIA+ children and youth, including those who are gender non-conforming, non-binary, and trans.
Rainbow Family Camp will take place June 23-25, 2023 at Ferncliff Camp & Conference Center.
The goals of Rainbow Family Camp are:
1. To provide LGBTQIA+ kids opportunities to meet one another
2. To provide parents of LGBTQIA+ kids a space to meet, chat, share, and connect.
3. Perhaps most importantly, to give kids a fun-filled summer camp weekend where they can be themselves, authentically and openly.
At Rainbow Family Camp, families can experience a summer camp weekend their way, with a flexible schedule of activities available throughout the weekend. This program allows diverse youth who share common experiences to come together to form a community that is truly their own, while adults and siblings can also connect with others facing similar issues. What a gift to be able to surround vulnerable youth with affirming, positive, courageous families!”
Art Therapy Group at Camp Mitchell’s Somewhere Over Camp
30 June - 2 July 2023 (Art Therapy Group: 1 July)
Camp Mitchell holds a special place in my heart. I’m not a native Arkansan, nor have I always been an Episcopalian, but I attended a special retreat here years ago that left me longing to give back to one of my favorite locations in the Natural State. I’m glad I had that opportunity with Somewhere Over Camp. It’s good to see this place doing so well and doing great things, and I hope to be able to do more here in coming years.
As with Ferncliff’s Rainbow Family Camp, here at Camp Mitchell, we made sun-printed Pride flags with a focus on community, but this time, I passed on the kind words of encouragement and love from the previous group.
A special thanks to all those who donated to my Blick Wishlist for the solarfast dyes and other materials to make this happen!
More about the retreat:
“Camp Mitchell is committed to being an open, safe, brave, and affirming space for all people. All of their programming is designed to be welcoming and affirming, and they strive to create a safe space in all that they do. They understand the value and need for a camp experience specifically for members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their loved ones.
Somewhere Over Camp is for LGBTQIA+ folks, led by LGBTQIA+ folks (youth, adult individuals, couples, and families.) They welcome your family, chosen and of origin, whom ever they might be. The only requirement is that children and youth must attend with an adult.”