Helping Teens Heal: Addressing Grief, Anxiety & Depression through Creative & Integrative Therapies

Workshop Description

We will explore effective approaches for supporting teenagers struggling with grief, anxiety and depression. Drawing from creative and integrative therapeutic techniques, we will provide participants with a deeper understanding of these mental health challenges and offer practical interventions that can be used in clinical practice. Our focus will be on using expressive arts therapies—such as art, movement, and storytelling—combined with other integrative methods that foster emotional expression, self-awareness, and healing to treat anxiety and depression. The workshop will also include an opportunity for participants to ask questions, share experiences, and discuss how these approaches can be adapted to their own therapeutic contexts. Whether you are new to creative therapies or seeking to expand your toolkit, this workshop will provide valuable insights and strategies to support teens in their healing journey.

Objectives:

1. Identify signs & symptoms of anxiety and depression in teens

2. Learn & practice expressive arts & mindfulness interventions to assist teens in coping with anxiety and depression

3. Equip therapist to adapt interventions given the unique challenges of working in a war zone

Presenters:

Kim Welch (she/her) is a licensed mental health counselor in Massachusetts, specializing in Expressive Art Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and mindfulness practices. She supports children & families, young adults, and the neurodiverse and LGBTQ+ communities in her private practice and offers Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy for adult clients seeking holistic treatment options.

Alexia Johnstone (she/her) is a licensed mental health counselor and expressive arts therapist. She received her MA in Expressive Arts Therapy and Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA in 2010. Alexia spent the first decade of her career in community mental health, where she developed a speciality in trauma-informed child, adolescent, and family therapy, particularly within educational settings. She was also an adjunct faculty member at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. She has worked extensively with children and families over the past decade, and currently focuses the majority of her clinical work on working with people experiencing perinatal and postpartum mental health complications. She provides training and is involved in volunteer advocacy and support work on a local, state, and national level to educate others and provide resources about Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs), such as postpartum depression and birth trauma.

Date & Time:

Saturday, December 14th

5:00 pm - 7:15 pm Kyiv Time

10:00 am - 12:15 pm EST

Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIuduCpqDIrGNwknCRC3ZIveTwN5Uj-qHIf