Mayo Clinic Child Life Program: Working with Warriors

In early spring of 2024, a representative from the Child Life Program at Mayo Clinic reached out to me to see if I was interested in doing some fun art activities with the kids who spend almost all of their time stuck between clinic walls, operating rooms, and or treatment programs. After a couple of conversations, I was blessed with the opportunity to provide both step-by-step painting activities and more goal-specific activities that I had developed during my Undergraduate Studies at Metropolitan State University.

The first activity we agreed upon was an ocean wave with a sunset in the background. To ensure simple step-by-step directions and easy following along, I made sure to trial the painting at home the night before.

The second activity was slightly more challenging and included goal-oriented tasks towards mindfulness, body awareness, introspection, and reflection. This activity is called Neurographic Art and serves as a prolific part of my undergraduate research and recognition that art can be a successful therapeutic tool.

The last activity I presented to the children was similar to the first and yielded positive reactions and results. Our group called this painting the “Desert Heat Cactus Painting.” Once again, I prepared a drafted version of this painting before the class and was able to send it home with an individual who wished to help me complete it.