Healing through art: How a Filipina artist helps kids cope with trauma

ABS-CBN News Intern

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17320966009201732096591872.png" class="fr-fic fr-dii" style="width:960px" alt="Art interventions with children affected by tropical storm Kristine. Photo courtesy of Dee Jai"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Art interventions with children affected by tropical storm Kristine. <em>Photo courtesy of Dee Jai</em></span></span></span></div><p>Many survivors, particularly children, suffer emotionally. This is evident in the aftermath of natural disasters, where no words are found to describe their emotions.</p><p>This is where art comes into the picture: Dee Jai, a graduate in Psychology and an artist from Bicol, is using creativity as a lifeline for children. Through her art, she heals them and helps them cope with the pain such incidents leave behind.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m a firm believer that art is a powerful tool to fight anything. When I was a kid, I used art to battle boredom, bad vices. Whenever I feel anxious or depressed, I use art,&quot; she shared, reflecting on how art has been a healing mechanism in her own life.</p><p>Dee Jai has been devoted to providing free art workshops over the &quot;ber&quot; months. She brings her creativity to different communities, including children, persons with disabilities, out-of-school youth, and seniors.</p><p>&quot;Every year for ber months, nagko-conduct ako ng free art workshops for kids, for PWDs, for children with autism, for out-of-school youth, for seniors. So I thought na might as well to bring these to those barangays that were heavily devastated by [tropical storm] Kristine,&quot; she said.</p><p>Dee Jai shared her most memorable experience during her art interventions is in Libon, Albay, where the community was severely flooded.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung pinuntahan namin na covered court sobrang putikan, wala kaming mahanap na chair and tables. We have to be resourceful, pinatumba na lang namin &#x27;yung bookshelves para maging table ng mga bata,&quot; she recalled.</p><p>&quot;Also, 80 percent of kids are making houses,&quot; the artist noted. &quot;Ginawa daw nila &#x27;yun kasi wala na daw silang bahay, nasira na. So they draw their dream house.&quot;</p><p>This experience touched her heart a lot as it showed how art really comes to comfort children who need it.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173209890754320241120-art-1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Children drawing houses during art interventions. Photos courtesy of Dee Jai"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Children drawing houses during art interventions. <em>Photos courtesy of Dee Jai</em></span><em> </em></span></span></span></div><div><strong>Art as coping mechanism</strong></div><p>Children during crises should have a way of managing their emotions, said Dee Jai, who believes that art offers them a safe, non-verbal outlet to convey their fears, sadness, and uncertainty as they strive to build strength over these feelings.</p><p>&quot;I want them to feel that these kids are also important. I also want these kids to feel that they are an important part of the community and that their feelings truly matter,&quot; she explained.</p><p>Continuing to provide this healing opportunity, Dee Jai distributed art kits and organized community art-making sessions so children could express themselves through creative action.</p><p>&quot;If they are not able to say it in words, they will be able to express it through drawing,&quot; she said.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173209895520320241120-art-2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Dee Jai with children participating in her art interventions in Bicol. Photo courtesy of Dee Jai"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Dee Jai with children participating in her art interventions in Bicol. <em>Photo courtesy of Dee Jai</em></span><em> </em></span></span></span></div><p>For Dee Jai, her art intervention is just the beginning. She hopes to expand the program to other disaster-affected areas, not only to raise awareness about the importance of mental health but also the healing power of art in emotional recovery.</p><p>&quot;It’s not that I want them to forget the trauma kasi &#x27;di mo naman maaalis sa kanila. We can&#x27;t really make them forget that, but at least to divert it positively,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung advocacy ko din is to find lightness and beauty in everything. So I hope they also find lightness and positivity in what they went through and probably they will be able to learn something from it,&quot; she ended.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/life/10/15/22/art-therapy-daan-ng-naulila-ng-war-on-drugs-para-bumangon">Art therapy, daan ng ilang naulila ng war on drugs para bumangon</a></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/12/27/22/12th-graders-online-platform-inspires-over-200-kids-to-make-art">12th grader&#x27;s online platform inspires over 200 kids to make art</a></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/8/30/pinay-teen-creates-storybook-with-young-cancer-patients-1938">Filipina teen creates storybook with young cancer patients</a></div>

<p>Children during crises should have a way of managing their emotions, said artist Dee Jai, who believes that art offers them a safe, non-verbal outlet to convey their fears, sadness, and uncertainty as they strive to build strength over these feelings.</p>

Children during crises should have a way of managing their emotions, said artist Dee Jai, who believes that art offers them a safe, non-verbal outlet to convey their fears, sadness, and uncertainty as they strive to build strength over these feelings.

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Healing through art: How a Filipina artist helps kids cope with trauma

Healing through art: How a Filipina artist helps kids cope with trauma

ABS-CBN News Intern,

Imee Ferrer

Published Nov 20, 2024 06:38 PM PHT

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