What is Art Therapy?
Art Therapy is a specialized zone of mental wellbeing that utilizes art tools and the creative process to discover an individual’s emotions, reduce anxiety, boost self-esteem, and find resolution to other psychological conflicts.
What Are the Benefits of Art Therapy for kids/youth?
Art therapy for kids & youth can be used to support a child on coping with major life experiences, such as a serious medical illness, the divorce of their parents, or the loss of a loved one. Art therapy can also help children who struggle with low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, and has been shown to help children with behavioral issues and developmental delays like autism and ADHD.
The direct gains of art therapy may not be instantly visible, but over time it can:
• Improve self-perception
.• Reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression
• Help a child deal with feelings linked with sickness, trauma, and grief
• Improve communication abilities.
• Enhance self-esteem
• Allow children to see challenges from a different view point
• Develop problem-solving skills
Depression in Children
It was generally thought that children could not become depressed. Now, researchers recognize that children, like everyone else, are not immune to this emotionally drained condition. Because children often do not have the capacity to step back, look at themselves, and recognize that the way they are feeling isn’t normal for them — they are not able to communicate their feelings accurately enough for adults to realize that they are depressed.
Depression has been defined by some as anger turned inward. It is very common among young people and affects as many as one in eight teenagers. Depression affects people of every color, race, economic status, or age. However, it does seem to affect more females than males during adolescence and adulthood.
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, the total number of teens aged 12–19-year-old in Canada are at risk for developing depression is a staggering 3.2 million. In spite of the alarming rise in depression among young people, many parents and adults are still clueless about the treatments that can work best to address depression. Moreover, diagnosis and treatment of depression is more difficult for children than for adults.
In one study, art therapy was used to help suicidal teenagers, and results showed that it indeed has a positive effect as part of an overall treatment plan. Guilt, worthlessness, and hopelessness are all emotions that can cause depression, and the creative process of art therapy can help a child or teenager cope with these emotions.
My Thoughts
Personally, I find art therapy as a means of empowerment, self-expression, & self-discovery, that has the power to increase concentration levels, self-esteem, and self-control. With that said, art therapy should be able to help children and teenagers enhance their interpersonal skills and defuse angry feelings.
It is therefore very helpful to provide a safe outlet for a child that is experiencing depression.
Here are a few ways to draw out the best among children through art therapy
1. Painting/Finger painting
2. Doodling
3. Molding with clay
4. Sculpting
5. Carving
6. Sketching
7. Journaling
8. Photography
9. Collage making
10. Colouring Books
11. Drawing/colouring with Aromatherapy Crayons
Take a look in my Etsy Shop for my Newest Book: An Inspirational & Positive Affirmations Colouring Book
(Try my 30-day challenge: Read aloud & colour 1 page per day & allow the words of Inspiration & Affirmation to resonate with you to help you gain control of your mental health and wellbeing.)
Lastly, Colouring & Drawing with my Hand Crafted Essential Oils Crayons which I’ve named Aromatherapy Crayons.
I created the concept of Aromatherapy Crayons for my family aiming to relieve some anxiety & stress from the beginning of the Pandemic 2020.
My Aromatherapy Crayons have since evolved into a Super Powerful All Natural Healing Art Therapy Tool that people all over the world are raving about.
What are Aromatherapy Crayons?
Aromatherapy Crayons are Essential Oils & Crayon Wax Infused & blended together creating a beautifully Scented Crayon with powerful Healing Properties. These Crayons are infused with Therapy Grade Essential Oils, promoting a relaxing and soothing environment while boosting an individual's well-being and make using these crayons a multisensory experience. Aromatherapy Crayons are best used for coloring, drawing, & writing. The aroma from the oils diffuses from the crayon & spreads throughout the air and paper, which will result in an individual feeling Less Anxious, De-Stressed, & Happy.
You can use CALMCOOL10 to save 10%OFF your first order.
Click the image below to claim this offer.
Overall, Art therapy provides children experiencing depression an opportunity to achieve personal growth through improved self- awareness, and to explore unresolved emotional conflicts. Art as an expressive language, provides an access into a relationship with children by tapping into their creativity and offering a form of communication that is nonthreatening as well as provide healing mechanisms to cope themselves with depression. It can bypass language and impairment and allow for the expression of thoughts or feelings from children who find it too difficult to communicate with words.
References: The Canadian Mental Health Association. (2020) Number of Teens Impacted from Depression. Retrieved from https://cmha.ca/fast-facts-about-mental-illness
