Ka’enye Vidart patiently sketched out five jars and painted them with watercolors while she unpacked her emotions from the day.
The 13-year-old said she was frustrated and angry by interactions she had at school. As she talked, she wrote down feelings around her jars. Green with black dots for nervous. Red and black layers for sleepy.
Art therapist Devon Billions-Gomez talked to the kids about what triggered their feelings throughout the day and how they reacted. She gently coached them and challenged them to think of alternatives to negative reactions.
“I think I’m going to start being kind,” Ka’enye said as she put the final touches on her work.
Under the guidance of Billions-Gomez, Ka’enye and other kids gather weekly at Cheatham Place, a public housing property run by the city of Nashville. Tucked away from the noise and bustle of the neighborhood, the space is designed to invite creative expression to help the kids talk about emotional regulation, coping skills and issues in the community and world around them.