SCOTLAND COUNTY CANCER

T R E AT M E N T C E N T E R

Art Therapy Program

A R T- B A S E D S U P P O R T G R O U P
BY USE OF ART THERAPY FOR
C A N C E R PAT I E N T S
In person support group
Closed group model -Closed groups
Every Tuesday starting March 3, 2015
Approximate times for support group meetings:
3:00pm-3:30pm- Check-In, Introductions of therapist and
participants, discussion of expectations and chosen theme/
topic
3:30-4:30pm- Art Therapy Activity
4:30pm-5:00pm- Participants share and discuss their artwork
and their overall experience

ELIGIBILITY/ REQUIREMENTS

Cancer patient or 1 care giver

Ages 18+
English Speaking or must have own interpreter
No art experience required

ART THERAPY FLYER

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

American Cancer Society (2008) found that in
regards to cancer patients art therapy helps them to
concerns and emotions about their illness and how it
effects their lives.
Art therapy has been used to distract patients from
the pain that they may feel during their
chemotherapy and radiation treatments in addition
to their medications which may cause some side
effects (American Cancer Society, 2008).

ART THERAPY
ACTIVITIES
Emotion Painting

An Abstract Musical Composition

Heart Maps

EMOTION PAINTING

Purpose: Help patients

talk about their emotions
and feelings in reference
to their diagnosis.
Patients were instructed
to think about how they
currently feel about their
diagnosis or how they feel
on a day-to-day basis.
Next, they were
instructed to create a
picture based on their
feelings.

ABSTRACT MUSICAL
COMPOSITION

Purpose: Make cancer

patients relaxed, calm
and stress free.
Patients were instructed
to close their eyes and
focus on the background
music for 2 minutes.
The patients were
instructed to compose a
picture based on the
musical components and
their cancer.

HEART MAPPING

Purpose: Patients reflect

on the important people
and events in their lives.
Reminds them to live in
the present not the past.
Patients were asked to
draw a huge heart and fill
it with people, places or
things that they love.

QUOTES
This is really relaxing, it allowed me to focus on all the pain and
sadness that I am feeling due to my diagnosis. M.H.

I dont feel alone anymore and I feel stress free. J.L.

In the beginning, I felt like I had to hold everything in and keep
it bottled up because I didnt want to bother my family with my
feelings, but now I feel better knowing that I can express myself
through art and it has really allowed me to have a voice. L.W.

COMPETENCIES USED
1, 3, 4, 6, 9,

REFERENCES
Art therapy. American Cancer Society Web Site.
Retrieved from
http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsidee
ffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/mindbo
dyandspirit/art-therapy

THE END