Nursery World - Using art therapy to heal trauma

Caroline Vollans discovers how a community art project founded in the wake of the Grenfell Fire disaster has helped local children and their parents to process the tragedy and work towards wellbeing.

Art therapy has provided an outlet for Grenfell's local community in the 'darkest of times'. - Photo: Adobestock

In response to the Grenfell Tower fire, art therapist Susan Rudnik founded Latimer Community Art Therapy (LCAT) in June 2017. Four years on, the Painting Together Group for parents with their babies and young children remains. Facilitated by art therapist Dean Reddick and Ros Taylor, the group is part of the larger ongoing therapeutic intervention for adults and young children in the local community.

LCAT’s work, including the Painting Together group, is a fine example of responding inventively to the unique needs of a community.

Background to LCAT and the Painting Together group
Susan Rudnik has lived in the community for more than two decades. Susan set up the first art therapy space just three days after the fire. Several more soon followed.In her paper, Out of the Darkness: A Community led Art Psychotherapy Response to the Grenfell Tower Fire, Susan describes the organisation of the work and the therapists as, ‘giving a sense of control in the midst of the chaos’.

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