Start UP!: A School-Based Arts Curriculum for Native American Youth and All Cultures: Interventions for Development and Learning

Start Up (c) is a year long school-based arts intervention classroom curriculum developed by Art Therapists, Carey MacCarthy MA, ATR-LPCC and Linda Chapman, MA, ATR-BC, adapted from Chapman's evidence-based Neurodevelopmental Art Therapy Trauma Treatment model, and culturally modified by Carey MacCarthy in accordance with Native American cultural advisors. This curriculum utilizes the Neurodevelopmental Art Therapy (NDAT) four stage evidence-based chronic trauma treatment model designed to strengthen and reform neural pathways for organic impairments, reduce; anxiety, depression, and aggression, and treat ADD/ADHD, PTSD, substance abuse and suicide. The Start UP Curriculum is culturally competent/relevant to the Native American population and ALL cultures; aiming to reconnect children to their cultural heritage. The Start Up Curriculum fosters coping skills, healthy relationships, relaxation techniques, bullying and suicide prevention, and can be tailored to any ethnicity or culture. The Start Up Curriculum can be facilitated in the classroom and/or within individual/group therapy sessions and can be tailored to people of ALL ages...HEAL WHILE HAVING FUN