Art Therapy for Children Outline

Introduction: Children may have trouble finding the words they need.
Experiences aren’t often verbal.
1. Children may have trouble expressing feelings regarding violence or trauma.
2. Children with autism may have trouble with therapy where speaking is the main medium.
3. Children and adolescents may not be comfortable enough during transition periods to talk about it.
Art therapy is visual as opposed to verbal.
1. Words don’t need to be found.
2. Art is simple and easier for some children to understand.
3. Art therapy is not threatening or intimidating.
Children who have experienced violence or trauma may benefit from art therapy.
Children are not uncommonly affected by violence or trauma.
1. Statistic
2. Statistic
Children affected by violence may be scared of “telling,” and be less frightened by “drawing.”
Children may feel more comfortable “doing stuff” instead of talking about “it.” (Art Therapy, Featured Articles)
Children with autism may benefit from art therapy.
Children with autism usually display symptoms in the first three years of their life, making the use of words even more difficult.
Children with autism have “intense sensory needs.”
Children with autism
Children with low self-esteem or depression may feel empowered by art therapy.
Art therapy can help release suppressed or hidden feelings of depression or low self-esteem.
Art therapy can help diminish these feelings by giving the child a sense of accomplishment.
Conclusion: Art therapy is flexible but complicated form of therapy.
Art therapy comes in many different forms, can treat different things, and helps different people.
It is necessary to be very well-educated in art therapy in order to apply it because there are so many ways for it to be used.