Meet The Practitioner | Melinda Denton

Melinda Denton | Hawkinge

How would you describe Drawing and Talking in its simplest terms?

Drawing and talking is a safe, gentle and effective 1-1 intervention that can help with underlying emotional difficulties and trauma and can be used as a first step for getting help to improve   mental health and wellbeing.

Why are you so passionate about Drawing and Talking?

Engaging a client and offering them a safe, contained space, using a person-centred approach and seeing such positive outcomes with improved relationships and confidence to learn makes me passionate about making this simple intervention accessible to all.

What is the age range you work with?

I have been delivering Draw and Talk as an intervention with primary aged children for the past 14 years.

What areas of emotional wellbeing do you most connect with and are passionate about supporting?

I feel that every individual is unique, but equally similar in the fact that unless they are able to understand and regulate their emotions and make sense of the negative experiences that may unconsciously be  affecting their ability to flourish then it can have a long term effect an their mental health and life outcomes. I am passionate with working with individuals to explore the thoughts and feelings that may be impacting their everyday lives and feel well equipped with a toolbox that can be tailored to meet their individual needs.

How has COVID impacted the mental wellbeing of the families in these areas?

Covid has been a real struggle both emotionally and financially for so many families. This includes those that have found themselves socially isolated or unable to connect with their wider families and those that have been anxious about their job security. This has been evident in the rise in depression and anxiety which can have an impact on all members of the family, as parents struggle to deal with the additional stress of home schooling, work pressures and isolation. The consequences of lockdown on wellbeing and mental health is becoming evermore apparent as schools begin to reopen and children are readjusting to this having had mixed experiences whilst what was once normal for them has significantly changed.

Whilst using Drawing and Talking, what is your greatest success story?

My greatest success, although it is hard to choose one, is seeing the impact on a young boy’s life that having a consistent, reliable adult caregiver there for him had on his behaviour both in class and around the school. He told me that he felt no one ever wanted to listen to him and that he loved coming to see me as he knew that was his special time where his voice was valued. His demeanour and confidence seemed to improve weekly and my biggest thrill was to see him walking with his head held high rather than avoiding eye  contact , as though he had really started to believe how important he was.