Every Wednesday Night, Carol Street Housemates Bond at Art Therapy
Under the glow of the disco ball, Art Therapy Night has created lasting, meaningful moments for the housemates of the Carol Street Individualized Residential Alternative (IRA) in West Hempstead. For Heather Moore, Art Therapy has increased confidence in her communication skills. “She’s talking more now than ever before,” said Rochelle Howell, House Manager of Carol Street, and notes staff have also learned more about Heather in the process. Listening to the way Heather sings well-known song lyrics has led to a better understanding of how she pronounces words outside of Art Therapy.
During Art Therapy night, housemates sing and dance together in their living room, as a Christmas tree lit up the space.
“Music is important in people’s lives, and we try to make sure that we encourage music and listen to what they want,” Rochelle said.
On the fourth night of Hanukkah, and a week before Christmas, housemates mostly sang holiday songs, including “Frosty the Snowman” and “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey. Each person got a chance on the microphone as their audience sang along, danced, and provided percussion with drums and tambourines.
“I like to sing,” said Daniel Spiegel, who resides at West Hempstead. “I like The Beatles. My favorite song is ‘Hey Jude.’”
Housemates first started doing Art Therapy two years ago on a biweekly basis. It was so popular that it became a weekly event with activities like karaoke and arts & crafts.
The sense of camaraderie continues throughout the week, with housemates playing games like “Guess that Tune” and listening to music together.
“It’s togetherness,” Rochelle said. “They learn music they didn’t know because we do different genres. It’s active too, and it gives everyone a choice.”