Name: Robyn Spodek-Schindler
Hometown: Manalapan
Business: Paint the Stars Art Therapy, LLC
New Jersey Family: Tell us about your practice and what makes it unique.
Robyn Spodek-Schindler: We are creative arts therapists who focus on utilizing the arts as a means of expressing emotions. One of my favorite things to tell kids when they come in is, “you don’t have to talk.” That alone allows them to let down their guard.
NJF: When did you launch the practice, and what was your inspiration?
RSS: I launched back in October 2011 as the only therapist, as well as the owner. I was working for big-name mental health facilities and started to feel the burnout that many in my field experience when working for these corporations.
NJF: How can creative expression help kids and teens work through their anxiety?
RSS: What we do as art therapists is when a child comes in, we provide them with specific art directives that will assist in pulling out the layers of that anxiety.
NJF: How are you and your practice involved in the community?
RSS: We recently participated in an event that brought in teens from all over Monmouth County. We are currently working with Monmouth Arts to come up with ways we can work together to assist more kids and families.
NJF: What’s your advice for parents who want to support their children’s mental health?
RSS: If your child is brave enough to come to you asking for help or letting you know they want to see a professional, don’t dismiss it and don’t wait on it.