Art Therapy Works for Everyone
Adults
Adults can greatly benefit from traditional talk therapy in conjunction with art therapy. The maximum benefit comes from the verbal processing of the individual’s creations. Art allows the individual the opportunity to go beyond words. It opens the door for deeper understanding of our emotions, thoughts about the world and the way we interpret our world, familial habits and patterns, and a great deal more.
Teens
Adolescents tend to respond very well to the creative arts. Adolescents is the developmental time to explore, question and create. The art allows a safe environment to nurture that curiosity. The ability to express themselves freely without obligation of communication lessens the anxieties about therapy. Although the verbal processing for teens is a big part of their exploration, they are able to reflect in their own time, refer back to previous art, and thus have a sense of control which they often feel is lacking.
Parenting
Parenting effectively in today’s social construct can be difficult and challenging. This generation of children are widely adapt at using digital technology unlike their parents of Gen X. Our language and communication styles can differ greatly, and our children have an understanding of things we just don’t know enough about. Parents find themselves struggling in ways previous generation never experienced. Through psychoeducation, verbal processing and art therapy, I have been able to help many parents close the gap and feel more connected to their children.
Children
Children are by far the most naturally inclined towards art therapy. Some of their earliest forms of expression and exploration is through art. They tell stories, learn about their environments, develop a style and a sense of self about who they are and what they like through art. Art appeals to their natural playful nature. Children can tell their stories and their experiences through the art without ever having to directly identify themselves. The ability to project onto the art allows them a safe distance to process difficult traumas. In their own time, they can be in control of verbalizing and identifying their experiences.
"Creating art helps me find true meaning for what I am seeking, hiding from or wanting to communicate and honor.”
- Gretchen Miller