The Creative Arts Diabetes Initiative will offer facilitated art therapy with a group/peer-support environment to two groups of youth/young adults, one with type 1 diabetes, and one with type 2 diabetes. This environment intends to meet youth where they are, promote universality, hope and self-understanding, has the potential to be therapeutic and allows youth to express and learn about themselves and each other while developing healthy coping skills and address their fears and concerns.~As much of diabetes management is about meeting physical health goals - it is the vision of this study that offering additional support in the form of art therapy will have positive effects for bringing awareness and avenues for self-care to the other often neglected dimensions of patients' mental, emotional and spiritual health as part of a more holistic health process.~Engaging in art therapy has the potential to decrease diabetes related distress by giving youth a means and opportunity to identify, understand and express their feelings about having diabetes. Improved self-awareness and self-reflectiveness can help youth integrate their feelings and learn how this can motivate, influence and impact their behaviors and life choices.~Youth will have the opportunity for engaging in peer support, and to build relationships that are meaningful, thus increasing their sense of belonging and positively affect their level of self-confidence, purpose and wellbeing.
The Creative Arts Diabetes Initiative will offer facilitated art therapy with a group/peer-support environment to two groups of youth/young adults, one with type 1 diabetes, and one with type 2 diabetes. This environment intends to meet youth where they are, promote universality, hope and self-understanding, has the potential to be therapeutic and allows youth to express and learn about themselves and each other while developing healthy coping skills and address their fears and concerns.