 May is Mental Health Month began in 1949 to raise awareness of mental health conditions and mental wellness for all. One of the themes Mental Health America is addressing this month is Healing Trauma's Invisible Wounds, which focuses on the impact of traumatic events on individuals and communities. This theme is certainly relevant to CANY's mission of empowering people who have endured trauma to rebuild their lives. A recent study published by The Safe Horizon-Yale Child Study Center Partnership indicates the following: children who experience chronic abuse and neglect are 59% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile, are significantly more likely to use illicit drugs and 30% more likely to commit violent crime, indicating a self-destructive cycle of violence in which these young people are caught.* In response to this need to provide children with a safe space in which to explore and express the diverse range of feelings surrounding their experience of trauma, CANY provides drama therapy groups. The potential of metaphorical devices to provide distance from real life adversity is a core component of the trauma-informed CANY model of drama therapy. Within the context of a CANY drama therapy session, metaphor is understood as the creation of fictional narratives and roles to gain access to meaningful, often difficult, life stories; experiences that can often only be explored within the safety of fictional realm. Visit us online to learn more about what we do. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Offering Hope for Abused Children - The Safe Horizon-Yale Child Study Center Partnership | 
