Your Child and Art Therapy Starting Art Therapy What is art therapy? Art therapy is a form of expressive therapy that uses art-making to improve a child’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. It provides a way to express and process thoughts and feelings that might be difficult for children who’ve experienced trauma. Sharing their feelings can help a child to feel more in control of what’s happening to them, less isolated, and cope better with the effects of their condition. Throughout art therapy safety and wellbeing are always the priority. Art therapists take a “child-led” approach, meaning your child will be able to make decisions on what to talk about, create, or share. Liam* aged 11 explains it like this... “Art therapy is a space where creativity is appreciated and we have all the creative stuff like pencils, paints, pens, googly eyes, brushes, clay, pastel crayons. You can try to build up to the tricky stuff. It makes me feel more free.” Art therapy is a journey. At the start, art therapists help your child feel safe in the space to explore challenging feelings. We do this by setting boundaries, establishing consistency for children to rely on, and exploring the art materials in a playful way. One way we do this is by playing games or mess-making. Often children become interested in using the materials in different ways, like trying different kinds of paints or noticing how clay feels. Children can explore their sense of self by working with various art materials and discovering the freedom to explore in the therapeutic space. How can I talk to my child about art therapy? Your child may be nervous about art therapy, and talking positively about it can be a good start. Let them know that art therapy is a safe space to explore their feelings and emotions without any pressure. At Teapot Trust, we have lots of different options in our service to help support children, young people, and families. However, if your child starts art therapy and decides it isn’t for them, that is okay too. We aim to support families the best way we can, and we also recognize that sometimes it may not be the right time. There is no pressure from our team or to continue something that doesn’t feel right. During Art Therapy How can I support my child during art therapy? The ‘right’ support will look different for every child. There may be days when your child wants to share artwork they made in therapy, and others when they do not. Some days they may want to talk about what they discussed in art therapy, and other days they may not. Both are natural. Letting your child know you are there if they want to share anything may be all they need. In art therapy, your child is learning different coping skills using art materials and processing their emotions. Asking them to share some of the skills they are learning means that during art therapy and afterwards you can help them to remember and practise these coping skills. You can also speak with their art therapist about ways to help your child use these coping strategies. Big emotions and feelings coming up during art therapy As part of art therapy your child may be processing big feelings which may result in changes to their mood or behaviour. This is a natural part of art therapy. They may be unsure of what kind of support would make them feel best. Having an open mind to trying different kinds of support is helpful. A good conversation starter is to ask what kind of support they would like from you - this could be a hug, making their favourite meal, or giving them some space. Focusing on your child’s emotions when supporting them can be helpful. Over time, your child will start to understand their emotions more deeply, and you can help them name these different emotions. One positive impact of art therapy is children feel more confident to share how they feel. Your child may feel more comfortable explaining what they are talking about or creating during art therapy and how they feel about their condition. What if I am worried? If you have any concerns about your child, speak with their art therapist. They can walk you through different coping skills or advice for supporting your child during a challenging time. If there are any safety concerns that come up in the session, all art therapists have a duty of care and will act on any concerns. Your art therapist will explain their safety policies when your child starts art therapy. Finishing Art Therapy Coming to the end Coming to the end of art therapy can bring up a range of emotions for your child. If your child comes to you with their big emotions about ending, remind them of how hard they have worked and help them see the progress they have made. Having a ‘good goodbye’ is really important in the therapeutic relationship. Over the final few sessions, the art therapist will review your child’s journey and the skills they have learned. Art therapists do this to honour the work your child did throughout the sessions and to highlight the strengths they brought with them. A good goodbye will look different for every child, and for some children it is important to have their parents/carers included in the ending. Some art therapists and children think of ending art therapy like graduating, a time to celebrate the child and all they have learnt as they take a step forward. Many children and young people have mixed feelings about ending art therapy, often feeling sad and proud of themselves at the same time. Looking Forward Your child may have gone on quite a hard journey building therapeutic relationships and finding coping skills that worked for them. They have built a toolkit they can continue to use while processing their emotions and finding ways to feel confident to share their feelings and views with others. Shifting away from this support can feel scary, but it is important to remind them how hard they have worked over the journey. Going forward, your child may experience further tough times but it can be helpful to remind them of the tools they have learned. It can be helpful to gently remind your child that they can share their feelings and needs with you if they want to. Manage Cookie Preferences