Potential Benefits of Art Therapy for Children

Dr. Miriam Galindo, a privately practicing child and family psychologist, has been counseling and evaluating young children for more than 20 years. A licensed clinical social worker and clinical psychologist, Dr. Miriam Galindo incorporates techniques of art therapy into her work with patients.

For young children, art therapy can allow the expression of feelings and experiences at a level beyond language. It allows children to access emotions that they may be unwilling or unable to describe using words, while also giving them a way to explore metaphors that may be beyond their level of intellectual understanding.

The typical art therapy session invites the child to create a picture or other piece of art. The process may be client-directed, meaning that the child is free to depict anything that he or she wishes, though younger or more reticent children may do better with a prompt.

Once the child is finished creating, the therapist will ask questions about the piece. These questions help both child and therapist to explore the issues with which the child is struggling and can assist the therapist in developing a treatment strategy.

Many children respond quickly to art therapy, while others require a bit more time to become comfortable. The crucial element is the therapist, who uses his or her experience with children and art-making to encourage free expression. In time, the art can become a key tool in the child’s healing.