Seodaemun-gu, Art and Play Therapy Services Available Online

For Children and Adolescents in Need of Psychological and Emotional Support

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) has provided the nation’s first-ever ‘online art and play therapy service’ for children and adolescents in need of psychological and emotional support.

Amid the difficulty of face-to-face counseling due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the program was promoted over the past two weeks under the name ‘Kkomjirak Classroom Meeting on Screen.’

Art therapists and play therapists from the youth specialized counseling institution, ‘Seodaemun-gu Youth Counseling and Welfare Center,’ conducted sessions with 5 and 3 students respectively.

Using the video call function of mobile messengers, one-on-one sessions were held twice per student, each lasting 40 minutes. To facilitate this, the district delivered the necessary materials for the program in advance to each household.

The art and play therapists stated, “Although there were some limitations compared to face-to-face activities, the students were already accustomed to online classes at school, so they were able to enjoy the counseling without much inconvenience.”

One student shared their experience, saying, “I felt frustrated staying at home all the time, but talking with the teacher and engaging in art and play activities was fun, so I want to do it again next time.”

The Seodaemun-gu Youth Counseling and Welfare Center (Director Han Gwi-young) has been providing integrated services such as individual counseling, psychological testing, parent education, and art and play therapy for the happy growth of youth, and plans to expand online education and counseling amid the ongoing COVID-19 situation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.