Yakun Ma

This study investigates the design and implementation of a child mental health healing toolkit that incorporates narrative therapy and art therapy, specifically through painting creation. Amidst the growing emphasis on holistic development in modern society, mental health education for children has emerged as a paramount concern. Depression among children and adolescents is a global phenomenon, with China witnessing a substantial proportion of depressed youth, many of whom are school-aged. To address this issue, the author devised the "Let's Tell a Story" toolkit, integrating narrative metaphor therapy. This project leverages narrative metaphor therapy and metaphorical storytelling projection techniques to develop a comprehensive set of psychotherapeutic healing tools, encompassing stickers, graphic prototypes, and other interactive elements. These tools empower children with psychological challenges to narrate their experiences using a 'collage + drawing' approach, fostering artistic expression and facilitating emotional communication. The toolkits were deployed in psychotherapeutic healing workshops within hospital settings, cultivating a supportive environment that encourages children's active self-expression and problem-solving skills. By upholding children's autonomy and empowering them through narrative and artistic endeavors, the project seeks to achieve more efficacious therapeutic outcomes for promoting children's mental well-being.

Children's Mental Health; Narrative Therapy; Toolkit Design; Art Therapy

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