All children are faced with challenges and tasks during their normal development.  Accomplishment of control and success in each developmental stage becomes more complicated and difficult for children who are facing life-threatening illness, which have significant implications on the child's mental and physical adjustment and functioning.

The Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department offers the unique therapeutic modality of Creative Arts Therapies to address issues related to illness and treatment. This treatment uses "language" which is familiar and non-threatening to the child to bring the child pleasure and satisfaction.

The Creative Arts Therapy team's primary goal is to protect and enhance normal development across emotional, social, cognitive, creative, and imaginative integrity of children undergoing the stress of illness and hospitalization, emphasizing the child's understanding of his or her illness and treatment, and promoting a positive adjustment. Additional goals includes: providing a safe environment to express thoughts and feelings relating to illness and treatment, gaining control over body and life situation, promoting positive self and body image, increasing the child's sense of empowerment, and reducing anxiety and stress.Various forms of Creative Arts Therapy assessment and interventions are utilized to help children cope with the demands and stress of medical illness and its psychological implications.The Creative Arts Therapy team is comprised of Master's degree level Creative Arts Therapists. Therapeutic modalities include child life, Art Therapy, Movement Therapy and Music Therapy.Services offered by the Creative Arts Therapy team include:

• Inpatient and Outpatient Individual Therapy
• Inpatient and Outpatient Creative Arts Therapy Groups
• Preparation for medical procedures and other treatment related concerns
• Siblings groups
• Bereaved siblings groups