Cetea promotes care and emotional reflection action for families of people with ASD
Specialized Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder (Cetea) strengthens the support and mental health of families served by CIIR
Care is also about listening and taking time to feel. With this in mind, the Specialized Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder (Cetea), a unit of the Integrated Center for Inclusion and Rehabilitation (CIIR), located on Arthur Bernardes Highway, in the Telégrafo neighborhood of Belém, promoted a special activity aimed at the families and caregivers of people with ASD. The action is part of the Caregiver Attention Program (Proac) and sought to stimulate self-expression and recognition of one's own feelings, strengthening the emotional health of those who care.
Occupational therapist Thays Melo led the activity and explains that the meeting is part of a series of joint actions between Occupational Therapy, Psychology, Physical Education, and Nursing, focused on self-care, using expressive activities such as the use of mandalas. In this activity, for example, participants were invited to initially engage in a guided relaxation moment and then express themselves through the therapeutic use of mandalas, with painting, in a dynamic where each color represented a feeling.
“We work on themes about quality of life, bringing discussions about emotions and mental health. The goal of this activity was precisely to help parents and caregivers identify feelings that are part of their journey and which of these feelings resonated during the past week. Then, they engaged in painting and identified what came to the surface. We had a very positive result,” highlighted Thays.
During the meeting, about 100 people participated in the activities, held in the morning and afternoon shifts, over a week. Among the emotional reports, the highlight was the feeling of relief and gratitude for a space that also welcomes those who care.
Listening Moment – For Ahmad Nyara Santos, mother of Thulyo Alexandre, 17, who has been attended at Cetea since February 2024, the moment was transformative. “This activity was very relevant for me because it was during a time when I was very anxious. This moment was wonderful for us to reflect. We, atypical mothers, rarely have someone to listen to us. This action helped me breathe better. It was very positive,” she said.
The feeling of welcome was also shared by Ana Karolina Dias, mother of Ronaldo Kauã, 15, who has been attended at the Center for two months. “I arrived exhausted, and this moment brought me a bit of calm to my heart. We relieve the burden and return home with a different feeling,” she stated.
The Proac is a program carried out by the Integrated Center for Inclusion and Rehabilitation (CIIR), through the Autism Spectrum Disorder Care Center (Natea) and Cetea. According to the Care Coordinator of Cetea, Sâmilly Batista, the program is divided into two main moments: the “Parental Training,” aimed at strengthening intervention and care strategies at home, and “Cuidar Cetea,” which offers a space for support, well-being, and leisure.
Person-Centered Care – Sâmilly explains that “the proposal is simple: to transform the waiting time, while the children are being attended, into a moment of care and connection. The program is conducted by the team of therapists from the Parental Training, who plan each activity with great care and sensitivity, always based on person-centered care,” she emphasized.
For the coordinator, the experience has been a concrete way to value the role of families within the therapeutic process. “During these meetings, the waiting time gains a new meaning. It becomes a space for leisure, pause, and self-care. It is very gratifying to see how caregivers allow themselves to live this experience, taking advantage of this moment to relax, share experiences, and take care of themselves a little. We believe that caring for those who care is an essential part of our work because when the caregiver is well, the entire care process is strengthened,” she concluded.
With a multidisciplinary team and continuous actions, Cetea, in just two years, is already consolidating itself as an essential strategy for the care and training in Autism Spectrum Disorder in Pará, contributing to a more humane and inclusive care.
Reference – CIIR is a reference in Pará for medium and high complexity assistance to People with Disabilities (PwDs) visual, physical, auditory, and intellectual. Users can access the Center's services through referrals from health units, welcomed by the Regulation Center of each municipality, which in turn forwards to State Regulation. The request will be analyzed according to the user's profile by the State Regulation System (SER).
Service: The Integrated Center for Inclusion and Rehabilitation is an agency of the Government of Pará administered by the National Institute for Social and Human Development (INDSH), in partnership with the State Department of Public Health (Sespa). It operates at Arthur Bernardes Highway No. 1000, Val-de-Cães neighborhood, in Belém. Cetea operates at Presidente Pernambuco Street, No. 489, Batista Campos neighborhood, also in the capital of Pará.
