Finding Your Light

Drama Therapy Group for Kids

Helping kids with anxiety, high sensitivity, and ADHD to thrive creatively

Next Session:
September 2025

Is your child experiencing anxiety, having difficulty expressing their emotions or struggling to find their voice and feel comfortable in social settings?

At Toronto Art Therapy for Kids, we offer specialized expressive arts group drama programs for kids to help them explore their unique voice and build confidence in a supportive environment. “Finding Your Light” focuses on enhancing self-expression and social skills through creative play and dramatic activities.

Led by two Expressive Arts Therapists in training, this program focuses on helping children who experience social anxiety or have difficulty finding their voice. Through drama, role-play, and improvisation, your child will connect with peers, enhance their self-esteem, and learn to express themselves in a supportive and fun setting.

What We Offer:

  • Engaging Drama Activities: We use a variety of drama techniques to help children explore their emotions and develop social skills.
  • Supportive Environment: Our group setting fosters a sense of belonging and encourages kids to build connections with others.
  • Confidence Building: Through creative expression, children gain confidence and improve their ability to interact with others.

Join us at Finding Your Light and watch your child thrive as they uncover their unique voice and grow in self-assurance through the power of drama.

join our mailing list to be notified when registration opens

What To Expect:

Each expressive arts drama therapy group consists of up to 8 participants within a specific age range of 2-3 years and is led by two Expressive Arts Therapists in Training.

Initial Intake Session: Before starting, we offer an individual online intake session with parents. This session allows us to discuss your child’s unique strengths, challenges, interests, and goals. We use this information to tailor the therapy experience to your child’s needs. We also cover confidentiality and address any questions you may have to ensure the group is the right fit for your child.

Session Structure: Each session begins with a fun and engaging warm-up game designed to help children feel comfortable and relaxed. Following the warm-up, we dive into deeper drama exploration activities, including puppetry, masks, group storytelling, low-pressure improv, movement, and sound.

Final Presentation: At the end of the program, the group may decide if they would like to prepare a final presentation for their families. This is an optional part of the program and is approached in a way that feels exciting and manageable for all participants.

Focus and Support: Our drama therapy sessions are designed to help children challenge themselves, discover new inner resources, and build confidence in a fun and safe environment. We prioritize each child’s comfort and personal boundaries, ensuring that every experience is supportive and respectful.

What is Expressive Arts Therapy?

Expressive Arts Therapy, or Creative Art Therapy is a form of therapy that uses various creative modalities—such as visual arts, music, movement, and creative writing—to help individuals explore their emotions and improve mental health. It is particularly beneficial for children who find it challenging to articulate their feelings verbally.

Benefits of Expressive Arts Therapy for Kids

Expressive Arts Therapy offers a range of benefits for children, especially those who are highly sensitive. It provides safe, structured ways to express emotions through creative outlets, reducing internal tension and promoting emotional clarity. Sensory experiences involved in art-making help children manage sensory sensitivities and enhance their understanding of different inputs.

How Expressive Arts Therapy Supports Children with Anxiety and ADHD

For children with anxiety and ADHD, creative art therapy offers a supportive environment to manage stress and improve focus. Activities like painting or music can serve as practical coping strategies, helping children develop resilience and confidence in their abilities.

Expressive Arts Therapy vs. Traditional Art Classes

Unlike traditional art classes that focus on technical skills and artistic techniques, expressive arts therapy emphasizes emotional growth and personal expression. It engages the right hemisphere of the brain, promoting empathy, emotional depth, and creativity, which are crucial for highly sensitive children.

Key Aspects of Expressive Arts Therapy

  • Safe Emotional Expression: Allows children to process complex emotions through creative activities like painting or writing.
  • Sensory Integration and Regulation: Uses various sensory experiences to help children manage and enjoy different inputs.
  • Building Social Connections: Fosters a sense of belonging and enhances social skills in a supportive group setting.
  • Enhancing Self-Esteem and Confidence: Boosts self-esteem through successful creative expression and positive feedback.
  • Developing Coping Strategies: Equips children with practical tools to handle overwhelming situations and manage their sensitivity.

Learn More

Psychology Today – Expressive Arts Therapy

Good Therapy – Expressive Arts Therapy

Positive Psychology – Expressive Arts Therapy

Understanding High Sensitivity, Anxiety & ADHD

Highly Sensitive Children have a unique temperament that makes them particularly aware of their environment, emotions, and sensory experiences. This heightened sensitivity allows them to process information more deeply but can also lead to challenges when their environment is overstimulating or unsupportive.

High Sensitivity

This trait means that children experience the world more intensely. They are sensitive to sensory inputs like loud noises, bright lights, or strong smells, and they may feel emotions more acutely. While high sensitivity is a natural temperament rather than a disorder, it can sometimes lead to difficulties in managing these intense experiences.

Anxiety

For highly sensitive children, anxiety can arise as a result of their heightened awareness and emotional responses. They may become easily overwhelmed by their surroundings or their own emotions, leading to excessive worry or stress. This anxiety can affect their daily functioning and overall well-being, making it challenging for them to navigate situations that feel beyond their control.

ADHD

Although ADHD is a distinct condition, it can intersect with high sensitivity. Children with ADHD often struggle with attention regulation and impulse control, which can be exacerbated by their heightened sensitivity. This combination can make it difficult for them to focus, manage their emotions, and cope with sensory overload, contributing to increased frustration and stress.

Art Therapy & High Sensitivity

Art therapy provides a valuable tool for addressing these interconnected issues. Through creative expression, children can explore and process their emotions in a supportive, non-judgmental environment. Art therapy helps to manage anxiety by providing a safe outlet for feelings and promoting relaxation. It also supports children with ADHD by offering structured yet flexible activities that can improve focus and self-regulation. By integrating art therapy, we aim to harness the strengths of high sensitivity and mitigate its challenges, helping children build resilience, confidence, and emotional balance.

More Resources:

The Highly Sensitive Child – Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.
ADHD and Children – ADDitude Magazine
Centre for ADHD Awareness, Canada – About ADHD
Canadian Mental Health Association – Children and Anxiety
Kids with Anxiety Need To Know – Hey Sigmund
“Hey Warrior” A Book for Kids about Anxiety
“The Whole Brain Child” – Daniel Siegel, M.D.