11月11日November 11th: 

The Art Therapy group was honored to welcome two special guests. In the morning, Ms. Yu led the students on an exploration of Shanghai in their hearts. Through drawing rainbow cards, each student created energy cards specific to themselves using subconscious suggestion. The different colors of the cards represented various energies and corresponded to different organs. Later, under Ms. Yu’s guidance, the students imagined themselves as the animals they wanted to be and visualized standing an the top of Shanghai, looking down over the entire city. This engaging session allowed students to create art while feeling the inclusive, free, and powerful spirit of Shanghai in their hearts, each envisioning a different blueprint for a healthy Shanghai in their minds. In the end, the group collaborated to create a collective artwork: a five-meter acrylic scroll completed by the dozen students.

In the afternoon, Ms. Wei led a session focused on exploring the right brain. "Paper-cutting is actually the only way to keep my spirit calm and in order, and I heal myself with it." — Sachiko Abe." Through the introduction of the artist, Ms. Wei guided the teachers and students through the process of inner healing while exploring art. From the age of four or five, the right hemisphere of the brain, which is responsible for emotion, begins to decline. Ms. Wei led the students in developing the function of the right brain through Zentangle drawing. In the second part of the course, she helped the students cultivate patience and emotional awareness by sketching wood blocks with copper wire.

At the end of the session, the students interviewed Ms. Wei, who expressed her belief that the SHBS Building Shanghai Wellness Project is extremely meaningful and beneficial for the physical and mental development of students. She emphasized the importance of slowing down the pace of life in Shanghai and finding inner balance. She is eager to help students explore inner peace through this art therapy session.

11月12日November 11th:

This morning, the group of students began creating their own unique Zentangle drawings using the techniques they learned yesterday. During the artistic process, each figure was drawn repeatedly with delicate lines, and everyone focused on every stroke. Drawing inspiration from nature and life, combined with boundless imagination, the students created a variety of possibilities. Through Zentangle, the brain can easily enter a meditative state, gradually achieving deep concentration. With the warm sunshine surrounding them, the students immersed themselves in the world of art.

In the afternoon, the students visited the Xīnzhīzhōu Psychological Counseling Center to learn about and experience sandplay therapy. Each student selected a model to represent themselves and placed it in the sand tray, where the teacher analyzed each one individually. Through this process, the students learned that arranging the models is a way of expressing their true inner thoughts. In today’s world, people often struggle to express their genuine feelings through words, and sandplay therapy is known as "nonverbal psychological therapy." This method not only allows patients to express their inner discomfort but also enables therapists to better assess psychological issues, ultimately helping to achieve the goal of healing.

The students also learned that some patients may hesitate to enter a counseling room due to fear of stigma. However, it is through facing setbacks that one grows, experiencing emotional growth brought on by tension and conflict, and truly releasing inner thoughts. Growth is always accompanied by the breaking of illusions, but through the accumulation of experience, new insights emerge, and the true meaning of life is discovered.

11月13日November 13th：

At 9:00 AM, the students departed from the school and traveled to Zhujiajiao Metro Station, choosing an eco-friendly way to travel by taking the subway to Urumqi South Road.

Under the guidance of Ms.Pan, the group visited and analyzed an art exhibition. The theme of the exhibition focused on the awakening of female self-awareness, using exaggerated character movements and expressions, along with highly contrasting and saturated colors, to deeply explore the connections and perceptions between genders. Behind each piece of artwork, there lies the artist’s thought process and self-healing journey. Ms.Pan asked each student to share which painting they found most captivating or surprising in the exhibition, and together, they analyzed and discussed it. Ms.Pan encouraged the students to express their thoughts and feelings about the artworks, exploring aspects such as color, content, and composition, and to experience the artist’s thoughts and expressions. Everyone had a different interpretation of the artwork, and perhaps this is part of the charm of artistic expression.

After the exhibition, Ms.Pan led the group in two games. First, the group members drew cards to form color-based groups, then selected emotional state cards, such as anxiety, tranquility, wonder, or resignation. The students then used colored pencils to depict the feelings these emotions brought to them. Ms.Pan analyzed the students’ drawings, and the students also explained their own artwork. Ms.Pan pointed out that everyone had a unique way of expressing themselves through art, and the drawings could reveal different psychological states. The act of drawing also served as a therapeutic way for each person to express their feelings and release emotions.

In the second game, the group members were divided into teams based on the numbers on their cards. Each group drew an emotional card, such as confidence, vulnerability, joy, or sadness. The students then used their drawings to express how these emotions were represented within their hearts. During the drawing process, the students experienced inner peace and were able to effectively convey these emotions through their artwork.

After the activity, Ms.Pan invited each student to explain their drawing. She emphasized that this is an important aspect of art therapy, and that art therapy is a promising field for the future. She encouraged the students to actively explore and heal their hearts through appropriate methods, to boldly express their feelings, and to embrace the perception of color and the depiction of lines. She reminded them that each person’s artwork is unique.

11月14日November 14th：

One day before the exhibition, the students gathered their ideas and collected the art creations from this week. Each group performed its own jobs. The video editing group was constantly refining the video, the text editing group was organizing the text and publishing it, the photography group was selecting photos and reviewing interesting photo, and the students completed the unfinished paintings one. Students are full of exquisite lines and dreamy colors with the highest efficiency. The teachers and students arranged the painting display wall together, and built the scenery at the entrance of the classroom. The group students couldn't help but admire the fun of the arrangement process and the exquisiteness of the exhibition.

11月15日November 15th：

Today is the day when students officially open the exhibition, which was divided into two parts in the mooring and afternoon. Principals and teachers all came to visit the results of the joint works of the group students and the teachers, and experienced the charm of Zentangle drawings together. They painted with their own hands to outline a wonderful and unique picture.