Issue 57: Finding art and imagination on Amtrak
Fostering creativity and problem-solving with art therapist Alison Fox
This week, we’re welcoming our pal Alison Fox. Alison is an art therapist at Hudson’s new Iris Mental Health clinic, opening in early 2026. In our casual conversations with her, she’s shared so many good ideas on how to incorporate creative practices into our daily parenting that we wanted to give her space to share her expertise with you. Thank you for joining us, Alison!
As an art therapist, I am trained to provide psychotherapy to clients of all ages. My expertise is connecting clients to art materials and tools to enhance awareness and process challenging experiences. The exercises I use in sessions are client-specific, using problem-solving methods and tools to generate new solutions relevant to the child, adult, or couple. Creativity and art become tools for thinking, inviting interactions and problem-solving solutions that were previously unavailable.
Here’s how this happens in practice, starting with a clinical example and then an example from my own life as a mother.
Creative experience develops thinking and problem solving
A 9-year-old boy I saw for a year, let’s call him Troy, came to therapy with high levels of frustration and a quick trigger, related to his developmental need for more autonomy. Every third session included one of his parents. One memorable day early in our work, Troy blew up a balloon until it popped. The sound created a genuine stop-and-reflect moment for all of us.
In art therapy, embodied experience with materials can change how everyone present feels and thinks about a problem. The balloon pop became a shared metaphor for boundaries, impulse, and going too far. Later, when Troy asked for expanded screen time and more freedom to explore on his bike, the family had a common language for “taking it a little at a time.”
We also discussed how problem-solving is dynamic and developmental, not fixed in time. Troy recognized that if he had been 4, he wouldn’t have been able to blow up the balloon at all. He understood that his capacities at age 9 are different than when he was younger—and that new capacities require new challenges.
Shared creativity builds growth
One of the primary goals when starting a therapeutic relationship is to provide a safe space for shared sensory and creative experiences. It is through these explorations that emotions, thinking skills, and future-oriented problem solving are supported.
There is also a “creative contagion” that is possible both in sessions and at home. When an adult becomes excited about making something, it’s contagious to the child. The back-and-forth flow creates a loop of shared attention and co-regulation. Engaging creatively between adults and children nurtures age-appropriate growth through simple interactions.
For example, when I moved to Hudson, NY in 2012, I frequently traveled to New York City with my two young children on the train. I embraced a sensory-focused approach, noticing what my kids picked up and how we could connect with what was important to them. A favorite game was the picture exchange. We each selected images from the Amtrak magazine and traded them, inventing stories and games around the pictures. The game naturally evolved as my children grew, reflecting their developing attention, imagination, and symbolic thinking. I was excited by the creative act of ripping a magazine and finding flow with my kids; this kind of DIY activity never failed to bring to the surface a kind of parenting I felt best doing, responsive to both environment and needs of my children, and FREE!
Three creative practices you can use at home
When we build connection through shared creativity, we invite opportunities for presence, curiosity, and shared joy. Here are three ways to engage as a curious participant and fellow art explorer with your child.
1. Use a singular material and let the child lead. Any simple material will work for this: crayons, markers, Play-Doh, or tape. Limit the options and focus on the process rather than the product.
Adults can support by describing what they see:
“You made a long blue line.”
“Where did you start that line?”
“Was it at the top or bottom of the page?”
“Oh, when did you put that shape over there?”
Let the child decide what comes next, extending the activity until the child is finished. This helps children practice problem-solving, sustained attention and decision-making. It also creates a shared language around the child’s evolving capacities.
2. Engage in creative contagion
This captures the same flow loop that happens in art therapy sessions. Adults engage in creativity themselves, inviting the child into the experience.
Try drawing together, building a tower, mixing colors, or making a collage. The goal is not perfection or skill, but connection, responsiveness, and shared invention. When adults allow themselves to play, children can follow. The relationship can become part of the creative container that leads to shared problem-solving.
3. The picture exchange game
This is a simple version of the Amtrak game that can be done at home, in waiting rooms, or while traveling. Materials can include magazines, catalogs, grocery flyers, postcards, or screenshots.
How it works:
Each person selects an image that feels interesting. Rip it out!
Exchange the images
Depending on the age of the child:
Identify the image
Tell a story, ask questions, or make a prediction: “What do you think happens next?” or “How are these two pictures connected?”
Compare and contrast
Add in a third image
Younger children can sort images by color or size; older children can create sequences and narratives. The game strengthens symbolic thinking, language skills, and creative problem-solving while keeping the adult and child connected through shared attention.
These practices remind us that parenting can become a creative practice and build a space where children and adults learn with and from each other. Shared sensory experiences, playful engagement, and simple materials invite children to explore new ideas, express emotions, and build the thinking skills they need for the future. Being “a home to the future” is not about having perfect activities or knowing all the answers. It is about making space for curiosity, connection, and creativity, one moment at a time.
Alison Fox is a psychotherapist, yoga teacher, and exhibiting artist who blends psychodynamic, person-centered, and expressive arts approaches. Alison is a clinician at Iris Mental Health, a new group practice in Hudson, NY. She is a mom to two older teens.
One For Us
Sharing what we’re enjoying for ourselves these days
[Alison] - Recently, my daughter got her driver’s license, leaving me free to join a morning sadhana group. I have been following the work of Kathe Izzo for many years and find her teaching practical and esoteric. We meet at 7-ish on Instagram, Kathe grounds us in her activism work or astrology, and then we meditate.
[Ashley] - By this point, we all know I love the holidays and I’m owning it. So, it’s no surprise that I have a Christmas album favorite on repeat right now — The Carpenters’ Christmas Portrait. Listening to it with my mom as a child is such a distinct memory for me and it holds so much nostalgia. (Ed. note: we played this at our holiday toy swap last night. Perfect!)
[Genevieve] - I’m not sure if ouid🍃 content is allowed on Substack, but we here at The Soft Spot contain multitudes! We are not a monolith! I digress. For many years now I have supported Bud Vase, a woman-owned and highly respected brand with beautiful pieces and some excellent seasonal sales. Founder Doreen is also simply the coolest. I’d also be remiss not to mention Seth Rogan’s Houseplant brand in the conversation, but I’ve gotta prioritize the women leading in the industry.
[Maddie] - I’m considering what kind of wall calendar will best suit the year ahead. Right now, the nominees are Phoebe Wahl’s darling gnomes, crisp lines from Karst, seasonal watercolors by Molly Reeder, or a bunch of David Shrigley epigrams. Our kitchen wall would host any of these in 2026, happily.
One For Them
Sharing what’s making parenting small children more enjoyable these days
[Alison] - My son and I decided to go rock climbing at Central Rock Gym in Troy the other day. The space is impressive with high walls and a bunch of self-belay courses to explore. It was sweet to hear my teen son yell words of encouragement as I struggled to the top, and I relished the opportunity to do the same as he went up. There were kids of all ages there with their parents, lots doing the same.
[Ashley] - This past week, How We Grow, a short documentary by 542films about the Hudson Youth Department, premiered at The Spark of Hudson. Though I didn’t make the screening, I watched the film here and read Caitie Hilverman’s reflections as a multi-generation Hudson resident, and I can’t help but appreciate how important this program is to our area. Even if you don’t live locally, the film is a moving portrait of raising children in community.
[Genevieve] - These plant-based fingerpaints are such a hit with my three-year-old. Yes, they require some mixing work on the parent’s part, and the bright colors do dry to a more earthy, natural color palette, but if all those caveats are still your jam as they are mine, you’ll end up with some fridge-door-worthy masterpieces. (Ed. note: And you get to put into practice all of Alison’s advice above!)
[Maddie] - I’ve ordered too many of these delightful customizable name patches and I’m going to be spending my winter break figuring out where to stick them all. My kids’ daycare/preschool bags? Obviously. The chest pocket of their jackets? Yep. Shadow-box framing a couple because they’re basically art? Why not!
Working Together
Hudson’s Second Show Thrift Shop is a hidden gem on Warren Street, and each year they give away winter coats and accessories to local kids who need them. This week, as part of our efforts to finally organize our closets (and lives?) we’re bringing our outgrown winter gear over to the Second Show coat drive. And we’ll probably shop for some costume jewelry, oil paintings, and handmade mugs to benefit our local hospital afterward. They are open 10:30a - 4:30p Tuesday through Saturday.
In the Neighborhood
We live in the Mid-Hudson Valley and we’re keeping tabs on these (mostly family-friendly) events near us. If there’s another event you’d like us to share, please send it our way!
December Events
Thursday, December 11 - Queer Soup Night at Quinnie’s, Hudson
Thursday, December 11 - Film screening to benefit Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood, Hudson
Thursday, December 11- Friday, December 12 - Holidelic Disco, Tivoli ^
Friday, December 12 - Sunday, December 14 - The Nutcracker at UPAC, Kingston
Friday, December 12 - Sunday, December 14 - Holiday Market at The Cannonball Factory, Hudson
Saturday, December 13 - Community Birthing Class at The Spark of Hudson, Hudson
Saturday, December 13 - Winter Glow, Germantown
Saturday, December 13 - Holiday Toy Exchange at Gaskins, Germantown
Saturday, December 13 - Holiday Sing-Along with Music Together, Kingston
Saturday, December 13 - Victorian Stroll, Athens
Saturday, December 13 - Southlands Holiday Fair, Rhinebeck
Saturday, December 13 - Holiday Market at Cidiot, Catskill
Saturday, December 13 - Sunday, December 14 - Craft Feast at Stissing House, Pine Plains
Saturday, December 13 - Sunday, December 14 - The Nutcracker at Orpheum Performing Arts, Tannersville
Sunday, December 14 - A Very Hudson Holiday at (Creative Legion), Hudson ^
Sunday, December 14 - Big Towel Holiday Market, Germantown
Sunday, December 14 - Kids’ Story Hour at Rough Draft, Kingston
Sunday, December 14 - Elf screening to benefit Hudson Junior High at Story Screen, Hudson
Sunday, December 14 - Vintage Cake Decorating at Rose Hill Farm, Red Hook
Tuesday, December 16 - Half Moon Holiday Market, Hudson
Wednesday, December 17 - Winter Music Together pop-up class at At Play, Rhinebeck
Friday, December 19 - Sunday, December 21 - Holiday Market at The Cannonball Factory, Hudson
Saturday, December 20 - The Longest Night dance party at Sweet Flower Farm, Copake ^
Saturday, December 20 - Winter Solstice Celebration at Olana, Hudson
Saturday, December 20 - Snow Ball at FASNY Museum, Hudson
Saturday, December 20 - Opus 40 Winter Solstice Celebration, Saugerties
Sunday, December 21 - Solstice Stroll, Catskill
Sunday, December 28 - Kids & Kin yoga with A Tree Told Me, Rhinebeck
Monday, December 22 - Friday, January 2 - Play Pop Winter Break Camp, Hudson
Starting January 7 - Baby/Toddler & Me Yoga with A Tree Told Me, Chatham
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Ongoing Events
Mondays - Wiggles and Words (for 0-6 months) at the Red Hook Library, Red Hook
Mondays - Songs & Stories at Ulster Public Library, Ulster
Mondays - Family Resource Center Playgroup, Valatie
Mondays - Tunes and Tales at the Red Hook Library, Red Hook
4th Mondays - La Leche League meetings, Chatham
Tuesdays - Storytime with Robbie at Starr Library, Rhinebeck
Tuesdays - Family Resource Center Playgroup, Hudson
Wednesdays - Runs with Return Run Club, Hudson
Wednesdays - Family Resource Center Playgroup, Valatie
Wednesdays - Dancing Connections and Baby Dance Club at Full Circle, Gardiner
2nd Wednesdays - La Leche League meetings, Hudson
Thursdays - Music & Movement Storytime at the Hudson Area Library, Hudson
Thursdays - Family Resource Center Playgroup, Hudson
Fridays - Tunes and Tales at the Red Hook Library, Red Hook
Saturdays - Hudson Farmers’ Market (indoor), Hudson
Sundays - Tot Time at Skate Time, Accord
Sundays - Community Group Run at Neighbor Running, Hudson
^ = for adults
* = will likely sell out, so book soon
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