Children often easily benefit from therapies, especially when they face mental health issues. However, one major problem therapists find is their inability to express their thoughts and emotions in a clinical setting properly. Their language skills may be limited as well as they may also be scary about things. So, in addition to standard therapy, art therapy can also be used an effective way of communicating with children and get their thoughts exposed.
Art therapy is a psychotherapy specialty, in which patients use or indulge in various forms in different ways. The most common use of art is for the clients to escape from the stress of the disability or illness. Art is an effective symbolic language to be used in the case of children. Art therapy has proven positive effects on children suffering from circumstances of their lives.
Child art therapy
Child art therapy sometimes gets confused with the play therapy. Art making in the context of art therapy is slightly different than play as it encourages the creation of some tangible products, which the kids are not able to produce otherwise. Art therapists try to help children express their experiences and perceptions visually. A child art therapist capitalizes his or her vast knowledge of art media and enhances a child’s ability to communicate effectively through some creative expressions.
As we know, children do have a natural flair for creativity, and it may be easier for them if asked to draw a picture instead of asking to answer some direct questions. Sometimes, they may also be hostile or reluctant to discuss certain topics. Creative artwork can be effectively used as a non-threatening avenue, which lets the kids go over troublesome tough enjoyably. Helping kids to interpret their art and talking to them about the underlying reasons will help the therapists to understand their thoughts and needs and the problems affecting them.
Conditions treated with art therapy
Various circumstances in which art therapy can be effectively used to help children include:
In addition to the above, http://macfineart.com/art-therapy/ also points out that art therapy can be effectively used to relieving their stress related to studies and other topics, enhance their self-awareness, and develop healthy coping skills. Children of all ages, races, cultures, and nationalities are found to get benefited from art therapy. Customized art therapy programs needed to be planned based on the strengths, abilities, and interests of each child and the medium of therapy also needed to be chosen carefully to be in line with their traits to get the desired output.
When practiced properly, art therapy can be very rewarding to both the children, parents and the therapists trying to help them out. However, proper planning, persistence, and commitment are the key to achieve success in this field.
Source: Information available at http://macfineart.com/art-therapy/.
