by Amy Aguilar, ASW, PPSC
Windows Facilitator & Psychiatric Social Worker
Los Angeles Unified School District, School Mental Health

Working in schools for the 2021-2022 school year was one of the most difficult challenges I have had in my 14 years working in mental health. All of us who were sent home for the COVID-19 pandemic were not the same people returning to the schools when they reopened.

We — teachers, parents, and staff — were not the same, kids were not the same.

There are experiences that can’t be captured through words and art has helped bridge that gap for an entire school community.

How would kids transition back to school? We asked ourselves: Will they be able to socialize safely? Will they keep their masks on? Will there be an outbreak? How will kids handle being in school for a full day when some students have never been away from home that long (such as kindergarteners and 1st graders)?

Uncertainty.
Anxiety.
Class closures.
Grief.
Trauma.
Behavior meltdowns.
Aggression.
Sub shortage.
Teacher shortage…

I was privileged to get a scholarship as an LAUSD Psychiatric Social Worker during the summer of 2021 to participate in an AWBW Facilitator Training. It was one of the most healing things I have done for myself not only professionally, but personally as well.

AWBW has provided my school community a safe and creative method of self-expression, empowerment, and healing. There are experiences that can’t be captured through words and art has helped bridge that gap for an entire school community.

My school principal knew the high level of need for social emotional support at my school and provided funding for art supplies to begin doing healing art for targeted classes and groups. I then secured funding through an “Innovation” mini grant from our Local District NorthEast Community of Schools for more art supplies and was able to open up healing art workshops to whole grade levels. I created a flyer and sign-up sheets for the healing art group. The response was overwhelming. Kids needed healing art, teachers needed healing art — this community needed to heal.

With the help of Masters in Social Work interns and a makeshift “Art Cart”, we went from classroom to classroom doing healing art workshops with every grade level in the school. Over 400 students participated in at least one AWBW Healing Art workshop for the ’21-’22 school year. Primary grades (K-2) participated in the The Monster in Me workshop and grades 3-5 participated in the Heart Stories workshop.

During a grief and loss parent workshop, we closed the session by having parents participate in the Creating a Safe Place workshop. With soothing music playing in the background, a cup of coffee, art materials, and freedom to create, some parents stayed to create for almost an hour after the workshop had officially finished. “I haven’t colored since I was a little girl”, a mother said while she drew a picture of her children. Parents created art using oil pastels and watercolors to take home and remind them of their safe place to help them cope with their grief.

Vulnerable populations such as our special education students were especially in need of this support. I was able to facilitate a weekly workshop with one of our special education classes and their support staff to build community. These students looked forward to our time together and learned how to use different art media to express their feelings. Students said they felt safe and shared about themselves in this intentional safe space each week for the entire school year.

It is not yet known what the long term impact that the pandemic, school closures, isolation, and quarantines will have on developing children. But, using AWBW school wide at every level with classes, groups, and individuals, will help mitigate that impact. Students report feeling seen and are more open to sharing vulnerability through this nonverbal form of self-expression.

Amy Aguilar, ASW, PPSC
Windows Facilitator & Psychiatric Social Worker
Los Angeles Unified School District, School Mental Health
Los Angeles, CA

Use this Heart Stories worksheet, like the students, to connect with who you are.
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A Window Between Worlds (AWBW) supports hundreds of direct service organizations across the country to incorporate creative expression into their work with trauma survivors. With this blog we uplift the voices of our art workshop facilitators and participants. We invite you to take in this perspective, notice what resonates and explore how it may fit into your life.