Toolkits & Handbooks
Sharing in the healing journey expressive arts toolkit
The sharing in the healing journey expressive arts toolkit is a practical guide that helps facilitators support children and their mothers or gender-diverse parents who have experienced domestic violence. Developed by YWCA Toronto and grounded in over 24 years of the Here to Help program, it provides step-by-step guidance for using expressive arts to support trauma processing, emotional regulation, and resilience.
Special feature: Includes structured weekly session plans, culturally responsive adaptations, and practical tools to deliver and evaluate trauma-informed expressive arts programming in community settings.
User outcomes
- Expressive arts as a healing tool: Provide safe opportunities for children and their mothers or gender diverse parents to explore and process experiences of domestic violence. Support emotional wellbeing and self-awareness through creative activities.
- Empowerment through social action: Enable participants to recognize their strength and courage by engaging in social action. Guide them in creating reflection cards to inspire, offer hope, and encourage other survivors.
- Trauma-informed program delivery: Learn how to structure 11 weekly group sessions with age-appropriate materials, facilitator preparation, and post-session debriefing. Ensure safe and supportive participation for children and adults.
- Cultural responsiveness: Access recommendations and adaptations developed in consultation with Indigenous communities to make programming inclusive and sensitive to participants’ cultural contexts.
- Research and evaluation guidance: Incorporate practical methods for assessing the impact of expressive arts on trauma recovery. Support evidence-based decision making for program development and reporting.
- Capacity building for facilitators: Strengthen skills in planning, delivering, and reflecting on expressive arts sessions. Gain confidence in applying best practices from a program with more than two decades of experience.
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Toolkits & Handbooks
Toolkits & Handbooks
Toolkits & Handbooks
Toolkits & Handbooks