Our Vision
To inspire emotional wellness by helping young people discover confidence, connection, and healthy coping strategies through creative expression. We envision a world where every tween has access to a supportive, creative space to explore who they are and how they feel.
Our Mission
Peaceful HeArt works toward better mental health and stress management for teenagers through creative workshops that explore community, mental‑health stigma, productivity, and coping mechanisms involving art. We partner with schools and organizations across Long Island to bring these experiences directly to the communities that need them.
Art and psychology, brought together.
ABOUT PEACEFUL HEART
Peaceful HeArt creates a low-stress environment where tweens can talk, create, and connect while navigating the pressures of school and life.
Who We Serve
Peaceful HeArt is designed for tweens, roughly ages 10–14 — students who may feel overwhelmed or stressed by school, home, friends, or life in general. Our workshops are hosted on Long Island in partnership with schools, community organizations, and youth groups, bringing peers together to foster relationships, creative expression, and stress‑management skills.
Community
Helping tweens feel less alone.
Acceptance
A no-judgment environment that validates emotions.
Coping
Art and meditation techniques for overwhelming moments.
Youth well-being
Support during a changing developmental period.
Our Workshops
01
Mirror Painting
Paint cheerful designs and personal affirmations on mirrors as positive reminders of individuality, self-love, and acceptance.
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Self-image & self-love
02
Group Knit
Create individual woven pieces that come together as one tapestry, exploring the strength of community and the value of sharing burdens.
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Community & connection
03
Abstract
Use abstract art to express ideas and emotions that can be difficult to put into words, exploring the relationship between logic and creative expression.
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Expression & the brain
04
Pop-Up Cards
Create a handmade card as a reminder to slow down, appreciate the people who matter, and express care without waiting for a special occasion.
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Gratitude & connection
05
Vision Boards
Illustrate four personal goals for the coming year and turn them into a visual reminder that makes change feel more attainable.
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Motivation & consistency
06
Mosaic
Breaking big tasks into steps
Create a picture from small mosaic tiles as a hands-on lesson in breaking daunting projects into manageable parts.
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07
Mood-Based Color Monochrome
Emotion & color
Explore how color can communicate feelings by creating a monochrome painting using tints and shades of one hue.
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08
Spill Art
Resilience & reframing
Turn an intentional 'mistake' into part of the artwork, exploring how setbacks can be handled creatively and positively.
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09
Sensory Grounding Method
Practice noticing the surrounding environment through the five senses and illustrate what is experienced, with box breathing introduced as a supplementary technique.
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Presence & calm
10
Potted Plants
Paint a small plant pot and care for the plant through the summer as a tangible reminder to nurture oneself as well.
Self-care & body positivity
THE PEACEFUL HEART APPROACH
Sometimes feelings are easier to create than to explain.
The curriculum uses art as an approachable way for students to explore different feelings, self-expression, community, and personal growth.
Express
Creative activities give students a way to put thoughts and emotions into color, images, words, and objects.
Connect
Projects such as Group Knit emphasize the strength of community and the value of sharing experiences.
Reflect
Activities encourage students to think about self-image, emotions, goals, mistakes, and the people who matter to them.
Care
The curriculum includes creative reminders around self-care, grounding, and nurturing oneself.
Bring Peaceful HeArt ™ to your community.
Peaceful HeArt is intended to be hosted on Long Island in partnership with schools and organizations, bringing peers together to foster relationships, connection, creative expression, and stress-management skills.
Creative programming
Hands-on projects with meaningful lessons.
Community building
Activities designed to help students feel connected.
Age-focused curriculum
Designed around the developmental needs of tweens.
A YEAR OF CREATIVITY
Workshops can follow the rhythm of the school year.
Several activities in the supplied curriculum are intentionally timed around seasonal moments.
DECEMBER
Pop-Up Cards
Slow down and focus on the people who matter.
JANUARY
Vision Boards
Make goals visible and feel more attainable.
SPRING
Creative Exploration
Mosaic, color, spill art, and sensory activities.
BEFORE SUMMER
Potted Plants
A lasting reminder to nurture yourself.
TESTIMONIALS
What our community is saying.
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Testimonials will be added as Peaceful HeArt workshops are delivered in schools and community settings.
Peaceful HeArt™
RESOURCES & RESEARCH
The ideas behind the curriculum.
The supplied bibliography includes research and publications related to expressive art practices, mental-health stigma, creative arts, school well-being, and art therapy.
Research Highlights
- Bastemur, S., & Bas, B. (2021). Integration of narrative therapy with expressive art practices. Current Approaches to Psychiatry, 13(1), 146–160.
- Beato, A., da Costa, L. P., Carvalho, A., Albuquerque, S., & Santos, I. (2024). WeARTolerance. PLOS ONE, 19(12), e0314994.
- Gaiha, S. M., et al. (2021). Effectiveness of arts interventions to reduce mental-health-related stigma among youth. BMC Psychiatry, 21, 364.
- Malboeuf-Hurtubise, C., et al. (2021). Online art therapy in elementary schools during COVID-19. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 15(1).
- Perryman, K., Blisard, P., & Moss, R. (2019). Using creative arts in trauma therapy. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 41(1), 80–94.
- Saikia, P., & Deuri, S. P. (2024). Integrative art therapy. Indian Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, 21(2), 152–160.
- Vella-Brodrick, D. A. (2016). Optimizing well-being in schools. Communique, 45(1).
- Withrow, R. L. (2004). The use of color in art therapy. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development, 43(1), 33 –40.
- Wolf Bordonaro, G. P., et al. (2025). Arts in medicine partnerships. Behavioral Sciences, 15(8), 1030.
Resources for the community
The production version can organize resources into student, parent, educator, and research sections.
Content review
The supplied bibliography contains a duplicated Williams & Daly-Lynn citation. It should be cleaned up before launch.