Murmo Child-, and Family Psychotherapy Clinic organized a series of open workshops to mark the occasion of its 10th anniversary. The workshops were open for both parents and professionals who are interested in the methods used by child psychologists.

One of the first workshops introduced the diagnostic group which is one of the most important components of the multi-segment, complex assessment carried out at Murmo. During the group sessions, children are observed in a group setting on two separate occasions led by two professionals. The therapists co-lead the sessions to create a safe and supportive environment for the children, who are invited to use their creativity in a playful way. The creative activity allows professionals to observe the children’s individual and group behaviour, as well as the ways they relate to their peers. The workshop offered insight into art therapy and the methodology of group diagnostics led by Erika Pap, clinical and mental hygiene child and adolescent clinical psychologist, symbol therapist, MBT-A therapist, Erzsébet Katalin Komáromi, art therapist, art educator and applied artist, and Petra Kovács, a complex art therapist and music therapist.

Participants had the opportunity to try the same method of shared creation used with children in the diagnostic groups. The workshop began with a playful introduction round in a circle, just as diagnostic groups with children. Everyone introduced themselves and shared why they had come to the workshop. It quickly became clear that all participants were interested in the methodology of group diagnostics, either as practicing psychologists or psychology students. Because of the large number of participants, we sat in a wide circle for the shared creative activity, larger than the circles typically formed with children. As Erzsébet Katalin Komáromi emphasized, creative expression plays an essential role in the complex assessment because it provides children with a space to express needs they may not yet be able to articulate verbally. The shared creation also gives opportunity to involve children who may feel insecure about their drawing abilities. This method has been used successfully in the diagnostics of children and adolescents for nearly twenty years. The method of shared creation allows participants to shape and influence one another’s work. The initially blank sheets gradually become filled with different shapes and forms before eventually returning to the person who left the first stroke. Once we had begun creating, Erzsébet Katalin Komáromi asked us to slide our papers to the person sitting next to us whenever she clapped. Ten people worked on each drawing before everyone finally received the original sheet on which they had started their drawing. Each of us became part of every artwork as the lines traced our emotions in the moment. Once we received our own sheets back, we continued shaping the drawings until the stories within them gradually emerged. Once we had set down our brushes and pastels, we gathered around the drawings spread across the floor. Erika Pap guided the storytelling process and introduced two different approaches. For one half of the group, participants first told the story behind their artwork, and after that Erika’s questions encouraged them to reflect on what it felt like to build upon others’ brushstrokes, and how they connected to the completed work. For the other half, participants first shared their associations and impressions of the artworks, followed by reflections from the creators themselves. As Erika Pap explained, when we piece together what we saw in others’ work, we also gain insight into ourselves. The titles that emerged from the stories often reflected how the original motifs had transformed throughout the process. At the end of the workshop, we once again gathered a circle. During the closing round everyone shared what they were taking away from the workshop. Many participants highlighted the calm and accepting atmosphere that made it possible to truly lose oneself in the creative process, thanks to the harmony flowing between the therapists. Several participants reflected on how they would gladly incorporate the art therapy method they learned during the workshop into their professional practice and would love to see how the session unfolds with children. Some people highlighted that the workshop also gave an opportunity for self-reflection. Many participants were amazed by how seamlessly their initial lines merged with those of others. As others, I also saw myself in others’ motifs. It was a striking experience to discover on my own drawing shapes that I had previously drawn on other people’s papers – as if my own feelings had somehow returned to me, as if someone had seen what I needed.

I take away the profound duality of shared creation: the experience of recognizing myself in others’ brushstrokes, and of others perhaps recognizing themselves in mine. The workshop made me realize that the method of shared creation is an excellent tool for exploring non-verbal expressions. I gained first-hand experience in how much meaning drawings can carry, and how words help unfold and interpret that meaning. All of this highlighted the importance of the complex approach on which both diagnostic and therapeutic work are based. As a volunteer at Murmo, I had not previously had the opportunity to participate in a diagnostic group, but the workshop strengthened my interest in psychodiagnostic work with children. After the workshop, the participants engaged in meaningful conversations both professionally and personally, which further enriched the programme. The diagnostic group is a kind of hideaway – a safe space for self-expression for children who may struggle to put their feelings, difficulties and needs into words. The workshop offered professionals working with children the opportunity to experience the impact of the shared creation intertwined with storytelling.