Art for Healing
Workshop Series
Growing up in the Saint Louis Public Schools (SLPS) district, our founder Claire observed firsthand the weight that financial burden can have on education and family, with roughly 1 in 4 SLPS students being unhoused. After interviewing Dr. Deidra Thomas-Murray and learning about the overwhelming lack of social capital and emotional healing among underprivileged youth, many of who have faced at least one traumatic experience in their life, Claire created the 'Art for Healing' Workshop Series to promote art therapy and 'art prescriptions' - structured, creative intervention designed to address specific emotional and psychological needs that traditional medicine and care often overlooks.
"Team Courage Canvas,
Your efforts and impact on building social/emotional capital are phenomenal! What an amazing opportunity to effect change in the lives of those who are at times emotionally bankrupt due to medical, social, and financial lack or having a sense of belonging.I absolutely love Courage Canvas’ platform. It allows those in need of healing to get loud and/or quiet with a paint brush, as they pursue wellness and courageously control the canvas. My hope is that Courage Canvas grows exponentially and heals all who are hurting and need healing. I pray that each stroke of the brush, thrust them out of despair into a place of sanctuary, safety, and stillness. Keep up the splendid work."
---Dr. DTM, Director of Students-in-Transition, Homeless and Foster Care Liaison, Saint Louis Public Schools (SLPS)
Survey Results!
At Courage Canvas, we believe that health is not merely the absence of physical illness, but the presence of emotional and psychological resilience. Our "Healing Beyond Medicine" philosophy recognizes that for youth facing the trauma of housing instability, a prescription isn’t enough—they need a canvas. Through our partnership with Gateway180 (MO's largest 24-hour family homeless shelter), we bridge the gap between clinical support and creative expression.
Courage Canvas partners with Saint Louis University (SLU) volunteers, local high schoolers, school administrators, businesses like Blick's, and more to make art resources and programs accessible for all.
Our founder Claire alongside other STL volunteers lead mental wellness programming activities, guiding students through art and speaking exercises to embrace mental health and emotions as an important topic to be navigated in a safe space at an early age. Our goal is to help treat the "toxic stress" of poverty before it manifests as physical or mental illness.
Our Gateway180 volunteers have formed close relationships with the kids over several volunteering activities, allowing one-on-one connection and attention. Each kid is paired with one volunteer during each workshop to help foster open communication and connection. The kids have enjoyed speaking up and sharing their thoughts and opinions during open discussion time.
Our work is only possible with the support of donations from businesses like Blick's alongside school and administrator donations. Thank you so much to our donors for providing constant art supplies, food, and other resources to support youth across STL!
Avg Star Rating (out of 5): 4.84
100%
said they would encourage friends to participate
93%
said they were more happy and relaxed after the workshop
100%
said they felt more comfortable expressing their feelings after the workshop
83%
said they now understand what ‘mental health’ means
93%
said they learned more ways to calm down when upset
100%
said they became more confident in sharing ideas after the workshop