When Richmond therapist Johanna Waldorf works with clients, they dont lie down on a couch and tell all. Rather, they splash paint onto a canvas, dance with abandon or, perhaps, create a collage.
And unlike most therapists who work in office buildings, Waldorfs office is the Richmond Food Bank.
Waldorf is the new expressive art therapist at the food bank. Every week, the decade-long volunteer heads to the food bank two days a week Thursdays as a registrar for food bank customers and Saturdays as an expressive art therapist.
I just started a month and a half ago as part of the food banks Ageless Volunteerism program, said Waldorf. Typically, I meet with the senior volunteers for a private session lasting between an hour or an hour and a half each time.
Unlike regular therapy, I use various art forms to help clients work out a problem.
The seniors, many in their late 50s to 60-plus, choose between painting, drawing, movement, theatre, writing, ceramics or poetry, or a combination of the above, to sort through their problems.
Many people can work through emotions through creative expression to gain a deeper understanding of their issues, according to Waldorf, who sees herself as a facilitator in the process.
Unlike traditional art expression, where the goal is a finished product, in art therapy its the process that matters.
As an artist, Ive been trained on what colours to use and how to paint, but in art therapy you instinctively put your feelings in whatever art form you are using, Waldorf said. Its very cathartic because it doesnt matter how good it is, its the mere fact that you are expression your emotions.
Waldorf is currently working with one senior who is battling addiction issues.
Hes doing art work and now hes adding words to his art work, she said, adding she is a practicum art therapy student. The process of creating the art can heal or resolve problems or issues facing the client the healing might not be immediate, but art therapy will help.
When Waldorf first meets with a new client, she begins by sitting with them and letting them tell her what issues they are battling.
Then, she might choose a specific form of creative art, and if that doesnt work, shell switch it up to another.
Art therapy might not be the first thing that comes to mind when people think of the Richmond Food Bank. But, in fact, it is perfectly suited to the space, which is one of caring and sharing.
We are dealing with people, the people around us, our neighbours, said Margaret Hewlett, Richmond Food Bank Society executive director. We like to say a caring community sharing with neighbours in need and the care comes 360 degrees there is so much sharing going on here that having the expressive art therapy is just another way we share with our seniors and other volunteers.
When Keith Yee, volunteer coordinator at the RFB, was asked to develop a program for its Saturday senior volunteers in the Ageless Volunteerism, he came up with a three-prong approach and Waldorfs expressive art therapy was a great fit.
I developed a program that includes three components, volunteerism, nutritious meals and recreational/social aspect, said Yee. When I heard about Johannas program I was very interested and felt it fit into the recreational/social component.
Many of our senior volunteers are isolated and expressive art therapy, along with volunteering, really engages them.
The feedback hes received so far about Waldorfs program has been very positive.
They tell me its making a big difference in their lives, said Yee.
Expressive art therapy is available at the Richmond Food Bank on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information, call the Richmond Food Bank at 604-271-5609 or visit www.richmondfoodbank.org.
