Abstract
This article reports the author’s experience with the use of circus therapy activities in online neuropsychological rehabilitation of children with learning difficulties. It describes the results of free observation of one session in the PANDA Project. Four children were present, who previously underwent the neuropsychological assessment (NA) process and belong to a recurrent neuropsychological rehabilitation group. Three activities were performed in the meeting: the exhibition of a short film with paper dolls, "A Dor Azul" (The Blue Pain) (Cia dos Afetos, 2020); juggling with grocery bags; and look, feel, act (Trupe Trapia, 2021) an introductory exercise to clowning. According to the author's perception, three of the four children were more committed and motivated to participate in the proposed activities compared to the previous rehabilitation sessions, especially juggling with grocery bags. The fourth child, diagnosed with Childhood Autism (World Health Organization 1992), was resistant to most activities - except the last one, in which he was able to select an object of his interest. Based on the authors' experience, a bank of activities is being created for the permanent use of circus practices by the neuropsychological rehabilitation groups of the PANDA project.
Highlights
Neuropsychological Rehabilitation is an interactive process between patients and specialized professionals that aims to remedy or alleviate difficulties, adopting a holistic approach in which cognitive, emotional and psychosocial problems are treated simultaneously (Wilson, 2020)
The effectiveness of neuropsychological rehabilitation is evaluated according to its ability to help the subject achieve their own personal and functional goals regarding a higher quality of life, helping the individual to build a more meaningful and pleasant life (Wilson, 2009/2020)
This article aims to report a one-day experience of circus therapy practices applied during the PANDA Project (UFRJ) rehabilitation meetings in one of the project's various groups in May 2021
Summary
Neuropsychological Rehabilitation is an interactive process between patients and specialized professionals that aims to remedy or alleviate difficulties, adopting a holistic approach in which cognitive, emotional and psychosocial problems are treated simultaneously (Wilson, 2020). The effectiveness of neuropsychological rehabilitation is evaluated according to its ability to help the subject achieve their own personal and functional goals regarding a higher quality of life, helping the individual to build a more meaningful and pleasant life (Wilson, 2009/2020). Circus Therapy, within the almost limitless kaleidoscope of possibilities in art therapy, presents itself as an innovative but still little explored technique. Diamond and Ling (2016) cite the importance of joy, a sense of social belonging and reducing stress for the development of executive functions. Circus therapy benefits can be especially important for neuropsychological rehabilitation success
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