Expressive Arts or Art Therapy treatment with Teens/children

p Running Head : Art Therapy , Traumatized and Terminally Ill Children

The Use of Expressive Art Therapy in the

Treatment of Traumatized , or Terminally Ill

Children and Adolescents

Introduction

The use of creativity as a tool for helping those who are emotionally traumatized , and terminally or chronically ill has long been accepted in the psychological field . The main job of a therapist is after all to help the client express feelings and emotions that they do not have the coping strategies to deal with after an emotional trauma , or while physically

ill . Expressive art therapy includes the use of various art forms such as drawing , sculpture , collage or painting to assist the client in expressing emotions and developing coping strategies to help them deal with their problems

One of the main client populations that therapists use art therapy with are children and adolescents who are suffering from emotional trauma , or who are suffering from terminal or chronic illness . One of the main reasons that art therapy has been useful in dealing with children and adolescents is that in many cases the child is either to traumatized , or to ill for traditional talk therapies to be of very much use in helping deal with their problems

In many cases emotional trauma in children and adolescents results from being abused or neglected , and children are ed not to talk about the abuse or neglect by the adult perpetrators . Art allows them a means to communicate with the therapist without feeling as if they are betraying a parent or guardian who abused them . In the case of terminal or chronic illness , children and adolescents may become angry , or upset due to extended hospital stays , and the inability to participate in their normal school and family routine . Art therapists help children and adolescents deal with this anger by allowing them to express their feelings through art . Traumatized or sick children who are treated by the use of art , or other expressive therapies are often less angry , and act out less frequently in inappropriate situations . Art therapy gives these children an appropriate means of coping with anger , depression and disability

Art therapy has been used with children and adolescents in a wide variety of situations . Most recently , it has been used by disaster aid workers to help children who survived Hurricane Katrina deal with the trauma of dislocation , and homelessness . Art therapy has also been used to help children living with cancer to deal with the frequent hospitalizations and separation from family that so many children and adolescents with cancer experience on a regular basis . Art therapy is a helpful tool for professionals in helping children and adolescents deal with traumatic experiences that they may be unwilling to deal with by more traditional therapeutic techniques

Literature Review

The two psychologists that have been primarily responsible for the development of the field of Expressive Art Therapy are psychologist Carl Rogers and his daughter psychologist Nathalie Rogers . The main idea behind Art Therapy is that the focus should be...