Abstract
HIV positive children need a safe outlet to express their feelings about living with the virus. Creative therapeutic techniques such as the creation of mandalas (circle drawings) can facilitate the development of an emotional outlet. Carl G. Jung used mandalas in his work and believed that they are the paths to our center, the voice of our unconscious. The content of 32 mandalas created by children and adolescents living with HIV during clinical sessions with their social worker was analyzed for the themes expressed and colors utilized. The most prominent themes within the artwork concerned the concrete aspects of living with HIV. However, negative themes were balanced by themes concerning happiness, optimism, social relationships, and the normalcy of everyday life. The artwork illustrates that HIV plays a prominent role in the lives of the participants. Their resiliency is evidenced by the fact that nearly half of the themes expressed were positive and life affirming.
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