At the age of five, Bianca was adopted by a supportive family after surviving physical abuse and neglect in her early life. When she turned nine, Bianca started suffering from recurring nightmares linked to her difficult past. Traumatised by these haunting nightmares, Bianca would not talk to her adoptive parents about them or her painful memories.
As a young child disturbed by her past, Bianca was at risk of never being able to overcome her abuse.
Sadly, Bianca is not the only one. Children with a traumatic past often struggle to express their feelings and frustrations. Coram’s Creative Therapies provide children with a new language, helping them to find new, creative ways to express their feelings through the exploration of art and music.
Bianca was referred for art therapy. During these sessions, she started building constructions with different objects in the room, but they would often break down and collapse. Thanks to the help of an experienced therapist, Bianca understood that the constructions she was making represented her own feelings – she was afraid her life would fall apart if she started sharing her experiences and frustrations, just like the structures she built.
Art therapy taught Bianca new ways to express herself, helping her to open up to her art therapist and parents about the trauma she experienced, strengthening the relationship with her family.
Our work with Bianca is not over.
Now that her nightmares have stopped and she is dealing with her trauma, finding a safe environment and support with her adoptive family, Bianca continues to participate in art therapy. Coram will continue to support this family for as long as they need.
We know that children like Bianca have difficulty finding a way to open up about their abuse, often continuously reliving the terrible moments in their lives. Coram is here to help them find different methods to express themselves by providing them with a range of tools.
Please donate today to ensure we can help more children like Bianca.