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| Conceptualization of our program The child life/creative arts therapy team is comprised of Master's Degree level creative arts therapists (dance/movement therapists, art therapists, music therapists) and child life specialists.
The intensity of therapeutic intervention changes over time as children become medically stable, psychosocial stressors decrease, and adjustment and reintegration into normative routines occur. Sustaining trust and rapport, however, remain a priority. Children are encouraged to join our psychosocial support group programs to reinforce adaptation and socialization. Music Therapy is used in a myriad of ways to help children address issues related to illness. Sensitively improvised music can help a frightened or young child feel less threatened and can initiate the establishment of a trusting rapport.
At Tomorrows Children's Institute, improvisational music therapy is used to engage, empower, and focus children undergoing painful medical procedures, as well as to provide a forum for processing their experiences afterward. Through active songwriting and improvisation, children are encouraged to relate their experiences and explore their feelings within a creative structure which is both constructive and effective. Through clinically improvised music, issues of pain management can be addressed and a child's pain experience can be decreased. Further investigation into this important area of music therapy is being explored. Music therapy can help a child more effectively adjust to their illness and the rigors of treatment and maintain a more positive relationship with the medical environment. Dance/movement therapy utilizes the creative and expressive qualities of dance and movement to provide safe and constructive ways to identify, communicate, and manage feelings.
Dance/movement therapy offers opportunities to experience the body in more positive and pleasurable ways, when possible. Nonverbal behaviors relay vital information regarding a person's personality traits, interactive style, and mode of communication. The dance/movement therapist may work with props, music, movement games, play, metaphoric, and verbal interventions to enhance the movement experience and to facilitate awareness and understanding. Body movement interventions then provide the opportunity to convert personal issues into shared actions that promote reflection, communication, adaptation and adjustment. Even as children lie inactive in their hospital beds, their imagination is very active. Art Therapy explores and gives life to the imagination through a multitude of methods and materials. The art allows children to express their feelings by creating a visual image of their fears, anger, frustrations, and fantasies. An Art Therapist can then facilitate the communication of these feelings to the child's family and to the medical team. The art can also be used as an assessment tool to provide further information about the child's response to illness and treatment. Art Therapy provides tactile stimulation, distraction from pain, an opportunity for choice, and a means to achieve mastery. Art is a familiar language for all children, and, for the hospitalized child, often what can not be said in words can be said through images.
Elizabeth Brandolini Ms. Brandolini is a senior child life specialist/art therapist at The Tomorrows Children’s Institute. She completed her graduate studies in art therapy at The Pratt Institute, and also holds degrees in fine arts and architecture from Rhode Island School of Design. Since 2000, she has provided therapeutic services to children challenged with blood disorders and cancer. Ms. Brandolini oversees the inpatient unit, offering creative interventions to children to provide diversion and encourage effective coping and expression. She is also part of The Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, providing supportive care for patients and families coping with this demanding treatment and extended hospitalization. In addition, Ms. Brandolini facilitates groups for siblings coping with treatment and loss. Ms. Brandolini is also an accomplished painter whose work with children has added a unique dimension to her personal artistic expression. Toni L. Freni, MS, ADTR Ms. Freni is a master's degree level creative arts therapist with 12 years of clinical experience and advanced registry in her field. She is a trained dance/movement therapist specializing in the areas of nonverbal communication, the body/mind connection, and the therapeutic use of movement, body awareness, and relaxation methods. She has more than eight years of supervisory experience. Currently, Ms. Freni is assigned to The Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at TCI to address the psychological needs of children undergoing this intense treatment regimen. She also runs support groups for the younger siblings of oncology patients, and younger patients with sickle cell disease. Throughout her career, Ms. Freni has utilized a variety of creative writing activities to explore and address emotional issues. She has worked with patients of all ages in both psychiatric and medical settings. Ellen Goldring, ATR-BC, CCLS, LPC Ellen Goldring is a licensed professional counselor, board-certified and registered art therapist and certified child life specialist. Ms. Goldring has recently returned to TCI in the role of Supervisor of Child Life/Creative Arts Therapy Services. She had worked within the department for years as an art therapist/child life specialist before becoming Supervisor of Child Life/Creative Arts Therapy for the general pediatric department, where she also oversees the creative arts/child life internship program. Ms. Goldring has worked extensively with children of all ages with various illnesses as well as providing support services to the siblings of medically ill children, to the children of adult oncology patients, and to bereaved children. She has co-authored a workbook to help children deal with grief, entitled Why Did You Die? Her clinical work with a young adolescent TCI patient is reflected in her artwork and statement published in, Working With Images, The Art of Art Therapists. Renee O’Connor Heagney, MS, DTR, CCLS Ms. Heagney is a trained dance/movement therapist and certified child life specialist. She came to TCI in 2004 after earning her master of science degree in creative arts therapy from The Pratt Institute. Renee’s primary focus is hematology, with special interest in the sickle cell population. Maureen Collins McLaughlin, MS, ATR Ms. McLaughlin is a registered art therapist who first studied art therapy and fine arts at The School of Visual Arts in New York. She then received her master of science degree in art therapy from The College of New Rochelle, as well as a certificate in phototherapy. Before coming to TCI, she worked for 14 years in a variety of settings with children and adolescents. Ms. McLaughlin works with both oncology and hematology patients here at TCI. She is a co-leader of the Sickle Cell Support Program and the facilitator of the 5 – 12 year old patient group for that program. Additionally, her responsibilities include facilitating a support group for oncology patients and supervising master's level art therapy interns. Heidi Meizlik, CCLS Ms. Meizlik is a certified child life specialist who joined TCI in 2003. Ms. Meizlik and Siobhan Silver oversee child life activities in the outpatient clinic. Her responsibilities include helping new families adjust to the clinic setting, providing support during invasive procedures, and supervising volunteers. Ms. Meizlik is currently pursuing her interest in play therapy. Suzannah Scott-Moncrieff, MA, MT-BC Ms. Scott-Moncrieff is a music therapist, certified by The Certification Board for Music Therapists. She received her master's degree in music therapy from New York University, and joined the TCI team in 2004. Ms. Scott-Moncrieff works primarily with the neuro-oncology population, using music therapy to meet the special needs of children with brain tumors. She has a particular interest in music in pain management. Siobhan O. Silver, MA, ADTR, CCLS Ms. Silver is an advanced level registered dance/movement therapist and certified child life specialist. She has been with Tomorrows Children’s Institute since 2002. Ms. Silver received her master’s degree in dance/movement therapy and counseling psychology from Antioch New England Graduate School. She has particular interest and experience working with infants, young children, and their families. Ms. Silver is trained in two movement analysis systems, which influence her work in making assessments and interventions based on non-verbal communication. Ms. Silver works primarily with oncology patients, and currently oversees child life activities in the outpatient Reuten Clinic. Her responsibilities also include facilitating patient support groups and supervising students. |
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For more information, please contact us at tel: (201) 996-5437 / fax: (201) 487-7340 / email: info@tcikids.com The Tomorrows Children's Institute |
