New Art Director At Bromley Brook School

Bromley Brook School, a college-preparatory, leadership-focused boarding school for girls, has announced the return of Art Director Robin Wimbiscus and the introduction of art journaling as a therapeutic modality. Robin previously served as Art Director of Bromley Brook School from 2004-2005.

Robin rejoined Bromley Brook last month and is teaching traditional arts as well as art journaling to the program's students who struggle with various emotional, behavioral and academic issues. In between her time at Bromley Brook, Robin was the Art Chair for a co-ed, private therapeutic boarding school in Sutton, Vermont, the same school current Bromley Brook Executive Director, Dr. David Hans, led for two years.

"My objective in hiring Robin was to expand our arts program and to introduce the entire school community - students and staff alike - to the therapeutic benefits of art journaling," said Dr. Hans. "Robin and I worked together previously and I am incredibly excited that she is now sharing her talents with our school."

Robin is an accomplished artist, published book illustrator and has owned her own art business. She discovered art journaling 12 years ago and has found it effective for helping young people give physical form to their thoughts, dreams and realities.

"Art journaling is about the creative process of pulling together color, words and images as you wish on a page," said Robin. "Unlike many other forms of art, it is not about the outcome. Anything goes."

An art journal is a visual journal or diary, rather than a traditional diary or journal filled only with words. Through personal reflections and observations, students can express different sides of themselves. The art or visuals can be created in response to something the students want to journal, or they can use art as a starting point. Any artistic method can be used including painting, drawing, pen and ink, doodling, rubber-stamping, photos, and collage.

Many therapists have long believed that art has the ability to help heal emotional wounds. In therapy, the family can use art to define the problems related to addiction, identify sources of stress and develop ways to deal with it.

According to Karen Wallace, a member of the British Columbia Art Therapy Association, "Creating [through art] helps you focus on your islands of competence. Getting into art can help you become more resilient. Working on an art project can help provide physical and psychological stabilization. There is no right or wrong way to create art, each person has his or her own individual expression, it is something that everyone can do and creating moves you towards health. Creating a piece of art gives you a feeling of accomplishment and pride. It can also give you a sense of optimism, ownership and personal control to create something you feel good about. Connecting with your innate creative process helps you reconnect with yourself and it enhances self-esteem. Creating art can help foster hope."

She adds: "Art journaling can be a way of self-soothing and help replace destructive behaviors."

"I have seen how powerful art and art journaling in particular can be in helping young women identify their issues and redirect their energies," said Robin. "I am very happy to offer a new way of looking at the world to these girls that will allow them to achieve the success they were meant to."

Located in Manchester, Vermont, Bromley Brook School educates young women to become tomorrow's leaders. With a college-preparatory curriculum, the school's mission is to teach each girl to recognize her individual needs and use her self-awareness to achieve more than she thought possible. The successful Bromley Brook candidate is a high school aged girl who is bright and capable but struggling to meet social and academic expectations due to unrealistic internal and external pressures. Her success in earlier years has been overshadowed by recent behavior, causing the family to be concerned for their daughter's future and safety. For more information, visit www.bromleybrook.com or call (866) 537-2702.

Bromley Brook School is a member of Aspen Education Group, the nation's leading provider of therapeutic education programs for teens and young adults. Aspen's services range from short-term intervention programs to residential treatment, and include a variety of therapeutic settings such as boarding schools, outdoor behavioral health (wilderness) programs and special needs summer camps, allowing professionals and families the opportunity to choose the best setting to meet a student's unique academic and emotional needs. Aspen is a member of the National Association of Therapeutic School and Programs (NATSAP). Aspen also is a division of CRC Health Group, the nation's largest chemical dependency and related behavioral health organization. For over three decades, CRC Health's programs have been achieving successful outcomes for individuals and families. For more information, visit www.aspeneducation.com.