Patients battle cancer with coloring therapy
May 9, 2016, 5:00 AM
An organization that supports single parents who have cancer created a new therapy program in the Valley aimed at cancer patients.
Artist and cancer survivor Alisann Smookler came up with the idea for coloring therapy and then provided the coloring books, said Jody Farley-Berens, the executive director and founder of Singleton Moms, which hosts the program.
“The coloring books that are used are actually her hand drawn artwork, and she provides the coloring books and the coloring pencils that go along with it, and then she also leads the groups,” Farley-Berens said.
The program kicked off in April to great success and will continue every month on the second Thursday.
Farley-Berens said the goal is to offer a space for people with cancer to be creative in a safe and supportive environment. People can share their stories if they want to, or they can just listen and color.
“I think, in general, coloring is just a way to just relax and allow your mind to go elsewhere, away from maybe your worries for a little while,” she said.
Coloring therapy allows the participants to create bonds and comradery with others undergoing similar treatments. Farley-Berens said that it’s important for cancer patients to feel like they’re not alone.
The program is open to any adult battling cancer. If you or someone you know is battling cancer and would like to try coloring therapy, you can contact Singleton Moms at 480-818-5285 or online at singletonmoms.org.
Coloring therapy is 10:30 a.m. to noon on the second Thursday of every month. It’s held at Singleton Moms, located at 7579 E. Main St. Suite 700 in Scottsdale.
