Art Therapy with Adolescents

Abstract

Art psychotherapy has been found to be particularly helpful for those patients who have difficulty expressing or identifying feelings, those uncomfortable with verbal communication, or conversely those adept at using words to hide their thoughts and feelings. The use of art in therapy provides an alternate, less threatening means of expression that enriches therapeutic communication. The purpose of this chapter is to illustrate how art psychotherapy delivered by the author helped an adolescent female who was experiencing self-harming behavior. Research and a case study are presented.