Get the zoom set up and running 5 minutes before the scheduled session.  I will send you a zoom link and it will be the same link each week.  Depending on the age of your child you may need to be nearby for any computer or art challenges that may arise

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Make sure your child is set up in a private room with a door that closes. It is also important that there are no interruptions. For children, a private space will help them get into play mode and express anxieties and challenges in metaphors. For teenagers, a room with a closed door is more private and helps them feel safe

talking about vulnerable feelings.

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If you would like to read more about the importance of

containment- click here: 

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Set up the art supplies. It works best if you have some:

       - Drawing Materials: markers, pens, crayons,

         pencil crayons

        -Sculpting Materials: clay, plasticine, play dough

        -Image/Collage Materials: magazines, photos, paper, scissors, glue

        -Toys: Lego, figurines, stuffies

        -Painting Materials (optional) watercolors or tempera paints

 

Place all the supplies around the piece of paper.  For younger children it works well to work on a coffee table or on the floor.  It is the easiest to engage kids in play when they are on the floor.

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                                                 Placing a BRIGHT light next to the computer or the tablet's                                                        screen.  Having a light shine on your child helps me see                                                         your child’s facial expressions and their art.

 

                                                 Try to use the largest screen you have. Laptops and tablets work great. Privacy always trumps screen size so if the only way you can create privacy is by using a phone screen – use the phone so the therapy can happen in a private room.

 

Art Storage- After a session it is a good idea to take what your child created and place it up on a shelf or in a box.  That way clay or plasticine art does not get squished or dropped.

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Sometimes Zoom takes up a lot of bandwidth. I often ask parents to make sure that there are no other downloads happening or TV shows streaming so our Zoom session don’t glitch or pause.  Turing the wi-fi off on other devices, such a cell phones, often helps us have more bandwidth to communicate with.