Therapeutic artmaking pleasantly opens the gates of creativity and intuition. As intuition starts flowing, it leaves marks in the art, of all that does not flow. These parts of the art represent the causes of emotional pain.

With proper guidance, the adolescent learns to recognize, in a direct experience through the art, both the causes of his suffering and the source of his strength. This recognition allows healing.

With the removal of the cause of pain, the adolescent becomes free to grow  toward his or her meaningful adulthood.

Individuals and small groups.

Example

David, (not his real name), is one of four in a group session. He is stuck today. I move around the table to talk with him. Maybe something will come up. but nothing helps.

I let him be stuck and go back to my seat.

Everyone else is painting. I am painting too. I load my brush with green. When I move my hand from the paint trey to my paper I catch a glimpse of David. He is mesmerized by seeing me painting. I know that this is a moment when he wants to paint.

Instead of bringing the loaded brush to my paper I hand it to him, without a word, he smiles and starts painting.