Using Expressive Arts to Help Anxious Kids with Dr. Roxanne Daleo

Dawn Friedman MSEd interviews Dr. Roxanne Daleo, an expressive arts and somatic therapist who works with kids and families. Daleo describes her early work with hospitalized and terminally ill children and how training at Harvard, including Dr. Herbert Benson’s relaxation-response research, shaped her focus on the mind-body connection and breath. She explains expressive arts therapy as a nonverbal, right-hemisphere approach using music, rhythm, imagery, drawing, painting, and other art forms, emphasizing process over product and why it can fit children who resist talk therapy. Daleo discusses somatic principles, psychoneuroimmunology, and examples from hospital settings where imagery and art supported calming and healing. She shares practical techniques for parents, guided imagery storytelling, resources on her website, and a free “Head and Heart Anxiety Reset” call.00:00 Introduction02:21 Roxanne's Origin Story05:28 What Are the Expressive Arts?07:37 Why Expressive Arts Over Talk Therapy for Kids08:20 Somatic Work & the Mind-Body Connection28:26 Working with Perfectionist Kids31:53 Storytelling & Guided Imagery40:42 Breathing & the Holistic Approach44:58 Resources & How to Connect with Dr. RoxanneDownload Dr. Daleo's story, The Magic Seed: Courage as an mp3:http://drroxannedaleo.com/roxanne_daleo_magic_seed_1.mp3Her website is at: http://drroxannedaleo.comMentioned in this episode:TELL ME IT WILL BE OK: The PracticeI invite you to check out TELL ME IT WILL BE OK: The Practice, a guided reflective journaling podcast for parents raising anxious kids in a worried world. This is not a list of things you’re doing wrong. This is not a bunch of one size fits all parenting advice. This is a place to remember what you already know. (And to learn some new stuff along the way.) Each session is approximately 30 minutes. I help us get grounded; share resources, inspiration, and information; and then using thoughtful prompts we journal together to move you forward in your understanding. It also includes access to our own private community. You can sign up for a free sample practice at my site: OpenBookParenting.com