Local Lens
Healing the Heart
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Q&A with Wen Chang, MA, MT-BC, LCAT, EMDR Certified Therapist
This content was created in partnership with Thinkery.
On any given day in Mueller, curiosity is everywhere. Children test ideas, ask questions, and discover on their own. Long before benchmarks or career paths appear, these moments shape how children think, solve problems, and begin to see themselves as capable learners.
At Thinkery, curiosity is the starting point for every experience.
Located in the heart of Mueller and welcoming families from across the Austin area, Thinkery is a hands-on children’s museum where learning happens through play. Children move from tinkering with simple machines in the Innovators’ Workshop to exploring light and color in the Light Lab. Each experience is designed to spark imagination, encourage exploration, and make learning fun and meaningful.
STEAM Learning
Through play-based STEAM learning, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math, children engage with these disciplines as connected ways of thinking rather than separate subjects. They investigate the world around them, use technology to design and test ideas, apply engineering principles to hands-on challenges, express ideas creatively, and use math to reason and solve problems.
We do not teach subjects in isolation,” says Alexa Clavijo, Senior Play & Learning Manager at Thinkery. “STEAM is a mindset. It is about creativity, problem solving, and making connections to real life.”
Thinkery’s exhibits and programs invite children to take risks, ask questions, and learn through trial and error. Spaces are intentionally designed so every child feels welcome and empowered. Children work with real tools, including scissors, cardboard cutters, robotics kits, and circuit blocks, transforming ideas into tangible creations and building confidence as they learn how things work.
Play Builds Skills for Life
Play is not a break from learning. It is how learning happens. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, play supports physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development while strengthening executive function and problem-solving skills. Research from LEGO Education shows that hands-on learning is more engaging and effective than traditional instruction.
When adults encourage curiosity through play, children practice decision making, collaboration, communication, and adaptability. These skills extend far beyond childhood and remain valuable no matter how technology or careers evolve. At Thinkery, play is the foundation for developing these lifelong abilities.
Balancing Exploration and Structure
Finding the right balance between open-ended exploration and guided learning can be a challenge for caregivers. At Thinkery, the two work together. Open-ended experiences allow children to follow their interests, while educator guidance, thoughtful prompts, and intentionally designed spaces deepen learning.
Caregivers are encouraged to participate by observing, narrating, and extending play at home. These shared experiences strengthen family connections and reinforce the idea that learning can be enjoyable, ongoing, and accessible.
Learning for Every Child
Thinkery primarily serves children from birth through age 11, but its play-based approach supports a wide range of learners. Children engage at their own pace, develop social and cognitive skills, and learn alongside peers. Neurodivergent children and those with different learning styles are encouraged to follow their interests and take the lead in their learning experiences.
Supporting Families and Educators
Caregivers are essential partners in learning, and Thinkery offers a welcoming space beyond home and school where families can play and learn together. Recognizing that play is learning helps relieve the pressure to create perfect activities. Simple moments, like stacking blocks or exploring balance, support language development and strengthen family bonds.
Thinkery also extends its impact through the STEAM Learning Institute, which partners with educators, researchers, and community organizations to study play-based, child-centered learning. This work supports professional development and brings innovative, inclusive approaches to classrooms and learning spaces across Central Texas.
At Thinkery, every visit invites children to explore, invent, and learn. The 40,000-square-foot museum offers hands-on exhibits and other programs, including family nights, field trips, and birthday celebrations. As part of the LEGO Playful Learning Museum Network, Thinkery draws on global research to ensure experiences remain engaging and relevant for all children.
Visit Thinkery in Mueller to explore exhibits, join programs, and celebrate learning through play. To learn more about Thinkery memberships, which include free general admission, exclusive benefits, and flexible options for families of any size, visit www.thinkeryaustin.org.
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Q&A with Wen Chang, MA, MT-BC, LCAT, EMDR Certified Therapist
When words alone aren’t enough, creativity can open the door to healing. At Integrative Creative Therapy, founder Wen Chang combines music, movement, and expressive arts with evidence-based psychotherapy to help clients reconnect with themselves and rediscover joy. A trauma-informed Creative Arts Therapist and EMDR-certified clinician, Chang works with children, teens, and adults both locally and online, bringing a deeply compassionate, whole-person approach to her practice.
For those who may not be familiar, what is Integrative Creative Therapy?
Integrative Creative Therapy is built on the belief that true healing happens when we listen not only to our thoughts, but also to our bodies, emotions, and inner wisdom. I integrate multiple modalities such as music, movement, imagery, and talk therapy to meet each person exactly where they are.
Through creative expression, imagination, and play, clients reconnect with their authentic selves and build resilience, confidence, and joy. In New York, I provide online therapy for teens and adults focusing on trauma healing. Here in Austin, I offer in-person creative arts and music therapy for neurodiverse children, as well as teens and adults navigating anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
Creative expression is a portal to our inner world. For many, it opens doors that traditional talk therapy alone can’t reach.
Who can benefit from this type of therapy?
This approach is for anyone who struggles to fully connect through traditional talk therapy such as children with developmental differences, teens experiencing emotional challenges, adults seeking deeper healing, or older adults living with dementia or recovering from stroke.
It’s especially helpful for people who feel stuck, sense that their body holds unprocessed pain, or struggle to express emotions verbally. You might benefit from this work if you’ve experienced trauma, live with chronic self-criticism or perfectionism, feel disconnected from your body, or want to rediscover creativity and joy after burnout.
How is this different from more traditional therapy?
Talk therapy often focuses on insight and conversation understanding patterns and feelings through words. That can be incredibly valuable, but for many people, especially those who’ve learned to intellectualize their emotions, words can sometimes create distance rather than connection.
Integrative Creative Therapy invites the whole self, body, senses, and creativity into the process. Using tools like EMDR, movement, and music, we access layers of experience that words alone can’t reach.
Music, in particular, has a unique way of engaging the whole brain neurologically, physically, emotionally, and socially. A rhythm can calm the nervous system. A familiar melody can awaken memory. A shared song can rebuild connection and belonging.
For neurodiverse individuals and people with learning differences or dementia, music and creative expression become a language of connection when speech feels out of reach. It’s not about “fixing” someone; it’s about helping them reconnect with their body, emotions, and the parts of themselves that have been quiet for too long.
What kinds of sessions do you offer in Austin?
We offer both individual and group creative arts and music therapy for children, teens, adults, and older adults. Sessions support those navigating anxiety, depression, PTSD, or neurodiversity.
I also offer therapy for Mandarin speakers and first-generation Asian Americans who are seeking a space where culture, language, and emotion can coexist naturally.
Do you need to be artistic to participate?
Not at all! Creative arts and music therapy aren’t about talent or skill. They are about self-expression and healing. You don’t need to be a musician or artist. The focus is on using creative tools to explore emotions and experiences safely, with guidance from the therapist. Growth happens in the process, not the product.
Why did you choose to bring Integrative Creative Therapy to Austin and specifically Mueller?
My family moved to Austin two years ago to be closer to my husband’s family and their business, Batch Craft Beer and Kolache. Through Batch, my husband, Gabriel, has connected with a vibrant community of musicians. One of those friends, guitarist Andrew Baird, recently opened The Music Academy of Austin here in Mueller.
Our shared passion for music and creative expression inspired us to collaborate and bring the therapeutic side of music to the neighborhood. We both believe in the power of creativity to build community and connection.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone curious but hesitant to try creative therapy?
If you’re curious, start with a free consultation. You don’t need to know what to expect or have any experience in the arts. We can talk about your goals, answer your questions, and explore whether this approach might fit your needs. Sometimes the hardest part is simply giving yourself permission to begin.
Anything else you’d like to share with the Mueller community?
Our vision is to build a space where creativity nurtures mental health and community well-being. When we create together through sound, movement, or imagination, we connect with ourselves and each other in profound ways. That connection is where healing begins.
Learn more or schedule a consultation at www.intergrtivecreativetherapy.com or @intergrative_creative_therapy.
Photograph courtesy of Wen Chang