ART THERAPY FOR ANYONE

Art Therapy and how it Aids Anyone From any age or Disability
Valeria Guerrero. Student
English 152
Professor Webster
Kellogg Community College

ART THERAPY FOR ANYONE

Abstract
Almost half of the U.S. population has a mental disorder and most of them do not help
themselves because they do not want to go to a counselor and talk to a stranger about their
struggles in life. Art therapy is an alternative to that, which helps all different age groups from
children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly. This is done through communication, self
expression, stress relief, sand socialization. This is also the best alternative as opposed to dance,
animal, and music therapy because anyone can use art therapy, while not everyone can use the
others.

ART THERAPY FOR ANYONE

Art Therapy and how it Aids

Anyone From any age or Disability

Art therapy can help anyone at any age. Everyone has diverse problems that vary from
each age group. According to the World Health Association who did a questionnaire in U.S.
adults to calculate depression in adults, about sixteen million people that are eighteen and older
have been diagnosed with depression but there was also 20% of adults who did not want to
complete the questionnaire or who did not complete it (2012). Approximately 18.2% of adults in
the U.S. have anxiety, 6.8% have social phobia, 6.8% have post traumatic stress disorder, (NIH,
2010). These percentages do not seem very high but in just the adult group, 18 to 75 years of age,
about one hundred eleven million seventy-two thousand eight hundred seventy adults in the
United States have some sort of mental disorder. The same goes with children, 14.4% of them
have mood disorders, 25.1% have anxiety which are two of the most common disorders. Overall
46.3% of all children have a mental disorder (WHO, 2012). In both adults and children, almost
half have a mental problem and that is unacceptable. The amount of people with at least one
mental disorder has risen dramatically risen in just the last two decades. In 1987 in the United
States, about 1 in 184 Americans had a mental disorder. According to the Gallup Poll in 2007,
the statistics rose to 1 in 76 American adults had one. According to the same poll there was a 35
rise of people with mental disorders in the last two decades. Because of this we know not a lot is
being done for people to help themselves with this problem.
What can be done to lower the rise in mental disorders, why are people not being helped?
The most obvious thing to do is to go talk to someone about it or to get medicine, but most
people do not want any assistance because of different reasons. The most common reason

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people do not like counseling is almost the same for children and adults. They do not enjoy
feeling like they are going to the doctors. For adults they do not like feeling like they are getting
fixed instead of helped. For children it is because most of the time, going to the doctors is
not good news and they fear going (Vogel, Wester, & Larson, 2007). Going to the doctors for
them is something negative like getting a shot or medicine that does not have a pleasant taste to
them. Also, many people think only crazy people go talk to someone; they think crazy as in
mentally insane and they do not want to be given that title (Vogel, Wester, & Larson, 2007).
Talking to a counselor can seem weak and people dont want that. Overall, most people are not
comfortable about talking about any problem they might have, to a stranger. According to Vogel,
people do not want to feel like they are getting fixed, they need to feel like they are being helped
and counseling usually does not fulfill that need (2007, p.410). Feeling fixed is like someone is
trying to change them, being helped is to make it easier for someone. There are other options
though that many are not aware of that will help instead of fix. One of the alternatives to regular
counseling and just talking about it, is art therapy. Art therapy can be described as a form of
psychotherapy, but using self encouragement and being able to express oneself through different
forms of art like painting, drawing, coloring etc. that is used as a remedy for the mental illness
(Threlkeld, 2003). With art therapy, there are different forms of healing so not everyone from
each different age group does the same thing. Any person with a mental illness of any kind needs
to at least try art therapy because it helps every age group in a different way and is a unique way
of using therapy so people are more likely to want to do it again.
The four main groups are children from age as young as 3 to 12, then there is adolescents
from 13 to 19, adults from 20 to 65 and elderly is 65+. Children are usually helped through
communication while using art, teens are by self expression through art, adults are by being

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using art as a stress reliever, and elderly usually use it for socialization. Although this is what
each age group is categorized to, the way in which different age groups get helped can
interchange between each group. Also, art therapy is one of the unique ways in which therapy is
used because it is not only helping, but it is also pleasurable. There are other forms of therapy
that are also more pleasurable than just regular counseling like dance, animal, and music therapy,
but there are still reasons in which art therapy should be used instead of those.
We know that almost half of children have a mental disorder and that many have never at
least attempted to use art therapy. Art therapy could be beneficial to them though. The way art is
usually used as therapy for children, is to be able to communicate. Doctors, like pediatricians,
often have a hard time diagnosing a child because the child does not know how to say how they
feel or where the pain is or how sick they feel. The same ways go for a mental disorder; the child
does not know how to explain the anxiety they are having or depression or any other mental
illness (Hashemian, & Jarahi, 2014). It is difficult for them to know what they are feeling or why.
To know what the child is feeling, the art therapist usually have the child color with crayons
(Hashemian, & Jarahi, 2014). Children do not usually use more advanced tools because they are
really only interested in what colors they are using. At first they give them the freedom to draw
or color what they want so the therapist can know what sort of emotion the child usually feels or
is feeling (Hashemian, & Jarahi, 2014). They have the freedom to color what they want until
there is a drawing that signifies the childs emotion because he or she could at first just draw
happy things like flowers and rainbows. The child could draw something that has happened in
their life but it usually is not direct. It will most likely represent what they have gone through.
For example, if they had a problem in doing poorly in school, their drawing might start out as a
teacher yelling at a student, or a group of some sort of animal being called dumb by other

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animals or just any imaginary creature being excluded. The art therapist would have an idea of
how the child feels because it shows he or she does not fit in. To find the reason why, the
therapist would have to ask the child to draw something more specific like he or she might ask
the child to draw what makes the child thinks makes him different than others then he or she
could draw something that relates to them feeling dumber than the rest of the children
(Hashemian, & Jarahi, 2014). This way, when the child does not know what to say the therapist
can ask questions drawn from the drawing and they can start talking about it. This also makes the
child have a sense of connection with the art therapist because he or she understands the child
and they build up a sense of trust (Hashemian, & Jarahi, 2014). This way, the child is not
opening up to a complete stranger anymore but to someone they can look as a friend and who
they can trust and receive their help. This is how children are helped through communication but
there are also other ways.
Some children have a hard time understanding like they take longer to analyze what is
being said to them or to finish a certain task, but it hard to know if the child has a problem or if
they are just not paying attention. Either way, art can be used to see what the childs problem is.
There was a test done in 2012 in twenty different elementary schools in Bojnord City of Iran to
figure out if it would work. Children would be given colored pencils and were asked to draw a
person in a certain way to see if they would understand the assignment the first time. If they
draw it differently of how they were told to draw the person, they would have to re draw it
(Hashemian, Peyman; Jarahi, Lida, 2014). If the child did not understand and drew something
else every time they have to re draw it, the child probably did not understand the description they
were told to draw. They could have any problem from a language disorder to an impairment in
adapting to what someone is saying (Hashemian, Peyman; Jarahi, Lida, 2014). So if they have a

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language disorder they might not know certain words or fully understand them and how they are
used. Describing words are difficult for them to comprehend. With impairment to adapt, the child
has a difficulty in being able to keep what someone says in their head so in the test, they will not
think of what the person told them to draw and they would draw something else. If the drawing
is not done right till the second time or third time, then the child might be slow so they did not
understand the first time but after being told again they can finally understand. They also might
have a problem where their mind ignores words that are being said whenever it wants to
(Hashemian, Peyman; Jarahi, Lida, 2014). This means the child cannot control when he or she
will pay attention so they might not listen to the description at first but will comprehend after
being told more than once. After they know what the problem is that is making them show less
efficiency in things like sports and school, they can be helped properly. This test was also done to
reduce aggression or tension that caused them to have behavioral problems. Drawing and
coloring can allow them to express themselves freely and it also gave them a calming effect
(Hashemian, Peyman; Jarahi, Lida, 2014). This shows that having children draw on a regular
basis reduce the amount of hitting and yelling, temper tantrums, fighting, rebelling etc. Even
using certain colors can be more calming and relaxing than others; pink is found to be more
relaxing (Hashemian, Peyman; Jarahi, Lida, 2014). Some children might find other certain colors
more appealing and something as simple as being able to use the color they want to express
themselves is satisfying. Overall, art is a great tool to use to communicate with a struggling
child, and it still is enjoyable for them and can detect what their problem is.
Art therapy in young adults is greatly used for them to have self expression. Adolescents
are neither a child with an innocent mind or a fully mature adult; this is why this stage is when
they are trying to find themselves. Teens are influenced by their people they surround themselves

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in and out of their homes, and by the media. They usually do not have the opportunity to be able
to identify themselves without these other factors. The art therapist's goal with adolescents is to
have them express themselves the way they want, not the way their peers do. To do so, the art
therapist will set out all different kinds of artistic tools like oil pastels, clay, drawing pencils and
pens, different paints; acrylic paint, water colors, oil paints etc. (Riley, 2001). This allows them
to have a choice of what they want to do or use from the beginning. Before, children were only
using crayons and colored pencils but teens need more of a variety of choices to be able to make
exactly what they want. The adolescents are glad they do not have to talk to say what they feel,
but instead can just show their opinions through their imagery (Riley, 2001). Each tool and what
they make directly reflects something relating to what they are feeling or what they think or
believe. Just like the child needed to gain trust with the therapist, the adolescent does to. it is
done in a similar way. With the child, the therapist would start questioning their art and start
asking them to draw something more specific. On the other hand, the adolescent always has the
freedom to draw what they would like, and they are not asked what the image means right away
(Riley, 2001). They will not be comfortable talking to someone who is still a complete stranger
because adolescents are not as easy to be trusting as children are. The teen will keep on making
different art works that they want to make like collages, sculptures, paintings etc. and the
therapist will not judge or try to interpret it; they stay neutral on the art (Riley, 2001). If the
therapists tries to interpret it without the artist saying what i means, they will feel like their space
is already being invaded. The therapist has to stay neutral until the teen is ready to talk about it
themselves (Riley, 2001). The art just allows them to want to talk about it and just like the
children did, gain trust with the therapist. The teens will know the therapist will not judge their
feelings and thoughts because they have not judged any of their work (Riley, 2001). After they

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gain this trust the teen will want to talk about why they made what they made and the therapist
can respond to their feelings. Having someone there to understand them after not being able to
express themselves, is very reassuring to them (Riley, 2001). this will make them more sure of
who they are and what they really feel instead of falling into what he or she is influenced by.
After the teen explains the meaning behind their work, it will show how much creativity they
have and the therapist can tell them so (Riley, 2001). They will want to embrace their uniqueness
instead of hiding it and feeling lost in who they are.
Another way art therapy is used in adolescents is by helping them with depression. About
6,276,600 teens in the United States have depression (I Need a Lighthouse, 2008). So about 1 in
10 teens have depression. Teens with depression are twelve times more likely to commit suicide
and thirty percent of them abuse different substances that can lead to other problems (I Need a
Lighthouse, 2008). People who abuse drugs and alcohol will not only affect themselves but also
family members. They will have health problems, do poorly in school, put themselves in
dangerous situations, and will not be able to find happiness without it (I Need a Lighthouse,
2008). They will make family members suffer greatly or influence them badly. Even if the
contents are not abused, there are many that use it less often but it can still put themselves and
others in danger. An incident of drunk driving can injure or kill anyone or being in possession of
it while driving can get them in unnecessary trouble. There are only negative effects to actions
like this that are caused by a mental disorder that can be helped. Avoiding this with something as
simple as art therapy can help not only teens, but everyone around them. Instead of acting out
when feeling depression, they can use art therapy as a safe outlet to help with their feelings
(Riley, 2001). They can let it all out in a safe and enjoyable way instead of doing things because
they want others to feel how they do. Expressing themselves allows them to let out those

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negative feelings, and do something positive instead. Parents often do not know how to react to
unhappy moody teenagers and use destructive words out of frustration instead of doing
something that will help them (Riley, 2001). Their kids change so rapidly from their open child
to a discrete teen. Instead of having the teen on a tight leash, or punishing them, they should help
them have a positive outlook in things. Punishing a teen who is having trouble finding
themselves will only push them away further while having them do art tasks can actually be
pleasurable (Riley, 2001). This enhances their mood and the tee will feel like their parents is
trying to understand them instead of bring them down. Art helps teens by being able to freely
express themselves which helps them find their own identity, and helps with mental disorders
such as depression.
Most adults have to go through the daily routines of life such a work, juggling time,
economic and health problems, lack of sleep, and the resposibily of their children. Art therapy is
mostly used as stress reliever for adults (Wadeson, 1980). While teens usually use it however
they want, the therapist has the adult do different artistic tasks that forces them to have to focus
(Isik, E., & Bulduk, S. 2015). By having to focus, they can stop and relax. They will have to put
their problems off their mind in order to do their art work. The therapist will give them a topic to
make something about and ask them to make something in a reasonable amount of time so they
have to stay focused but will also have a variety of choices to choose to make so they will still
enjoy it (Isik, E., & Bulduk, S. 2015). The therapist will have them do different art works that
makes them focus but also be able to be free to do what they want so it is enjoyable which keeps
their mind of stressful things and also relaxes them. In order to give the patient positive feelings,
the therapist will also have them paint on themes that makes the patient happy. This is important
because it is a great importance for the person to have a body/mind/spirit connection with

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themselves by painting things that give them positivity (Threlkeld, 2003). The goal in this is to
only relieve stress but for it to also bring happiness.
Another way in which art therapy is used in adults is for adults who have been abused
when they were younger but do not know how to get rid of the negative feelings and memories
of it. Most adults hide what has happened to them because of embarrassment or because they do
not want to face it (Threlkeld, 2003). Hiding it will only make it worse because they will still
carry the negative feelings from it for years. Art therapy helps them get rid of the psychological
trauma by having to face the situation (Threlkeld, 2003). Facing it and letting go is the only way
to be able to begin the healing process. The abused adult must draw and make works of
something that represents what happened to them (Threlkeld, 2003). They must see it visually so
they are not able to hide it. Visual meditation on their situation will reveal the artists response
to how they interpret it (Threlkeld, 2003). After they know how they feel about it they can deal
by the situation by forgiving or by knowing it will not happen again and that it was in the past.
Visual art will allow the abused adult to let go and live away from the fear they held in.
The elderly use art therapy in a much different way than any of the other age groups do.
They use it as a way to socialize. Most elderly lose friends as they get older because they stop
going out and usually isolate themselves. Most are always at home and are often lonely because
of lack of friends, and their younger family members will not always be there to keep them
company. By using art therapy they are able to share their work with others and have people to
talk to all the time. Art therapy in senior citizens is done in groups of people instead of in a one
on one setting (Bagan, 2015). All the people there are free to make what they want but everyone
shares what they make with each other and can talk about that they made with people who are
now their friends. It is also a way to spend time doing something enjoyable that makes them

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work their brain (Bagan, 2015). Retired people usually do not have much to do and they are not
able to do activities like sports that they were able to do when they were younger. Art is
something that is easy and elderly with different disabilities are still able to do it. Elderly who are
not able to hold the utensils for a long time are still able to finger paint, ones who have disorders
that makes them shakey, can still make abstract paintings. Also, many of them start to have
memory loss because they are not often working their minds. Being creative will always make
them work their minds in order to slow the memory loss (Bagan, 2015). Art therapy in elderly is
used to socialize, have something enjoyable to do, and to do something that will help them put
their mind to work.
Art therapy is not the only alternative to regular counseling there is also music, animal,
and dance therapy. Although there are all these alternatives, art therapy should be one for
everyone to try first. Music therapy is used by having people learn different instruments and
having the ability to play these instruments help them relieve stress and relax them. The problem
with this form of therapy is that many people have a hard time learning how to play an
instrument and might not find it enjoyable while everyone is able to use ar utensils in any way
like something as easy as finger paint, or piling pictures and making collages. Also, many people
are not able to use instruments because of physical problems that many elderly have. With art
therapy, there are many different ways for any age group to be able to use it. That is also the case
with dance therapy. People can use dance as an outlet to relieve stress because they have to
focus, have a sense of accomplishment by the exercise they are doing, and by giving positive
feelings through exercise and by having fun while doing it (Dance/movement therapy 2015).
Although people who are not good dancers can still use it to have positive feelings, not everyone
is physically able to do it. People from all different age groups are disabled and cannot dance or

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do any moves which will frustrate them. All the positive outcomes from dance therapy can also
come out of art therapy and any disabled person can still do art. If someone is blind, they can still
use the paint and make what they feel and still have a sense of accomplishment. If they cannot
walk they can still do any of the works of art there are. Animal therapy is when people bring in
animals to places like hospitals and senior homes. The patients have positive feelings from
petting the friendly animals. This can help but it can only help by bring positive feelings, not by
helping patients let go of their problems or by being able to have them express themselves like
art does. Also, many people are allergic to animals and not everyone can use this form of therapy
like art therapy can.
In conclusion, many people have a mental disorder and are doing nothing to help it. One
of the best options to regular counseling is art therapy that is used differently in every age group
through communication, self expression, stress relief, and socialization. it can be used by anyone
opposed to other forms of therapy such as animal, dance, and music therapy. Art therapy is a
phytotherapic form of healing that will help anyone that needs help with any mental disorder or
can help someone who just wants something enjoyable to do.