Table of Contents
Art plays an important role in therapeutic approaches when working with teens as it can increase engagement and help them process complex emotions. Art therapy uses integrative techniques to holistically heal the body and mind in ways that verbal expression alone doesn’t do.
Art Therapies are evidence-based treatments that should be guided by a licensed and certified Art or Dance and Movement Therapist. However, there are several artistic activities your teen can engage in at home to help them process emotions, manage anxiety, and increase their self-esteem.
What is Art Therapy?
Art therapy refers to several kinds of treatments or expressive therapies that use creative outlets and artistic means to treat substance abuse and mental health disorders. According to the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), art therapy helps teens express themselves through nonverbal and imaginative activities. These may include drawing, painting, theatre, dance, or music [1].
Art therapy is often not a standalone treatment for mental illness, but rather an “evidence-based, complementary medical practice” used in addition to typical talk therapies such as CBT, DBT, and trauma therapy. It can be particularly beneficial for teens who often struggle to verbalize their thoughts or struggle with emotional regulation [2].
Types of Art Therapy
Art therapy encompasses several kinds of expressive treatments that are tailored to the unique needs of each youth. Below are some of the most common forms of art therapy used in mental health treatment programs for teens:
- Visual Arts such as painting, drawing, and sculpting can help teens explore their identities, process distressing memories, and boost self-esteem. These help teens focus on the “artistic process”, fostering patience and self-compassion, rather than focusing on the final result, which can increase anxiety and feelings of perfectionism. This form of art therapy is particularly helpful for anxiety and stress management, with an effectiveness rate of 18% for improving patient outcomes [3].
- Dance and Movement Therapies (DMT) incorporate elements of CBT and somatic experiencing to help teens release emotions stored in the body and reduce psychosomatic pain. It has also been shown to improve body image and self-esteem. DMT is effective in the treatment of depression, sexual trauma, and complex PTSD, to address symptoms such as shame, guilt, and dissociation. DMT has been shown to reduce mental distress and other affective symptoms such as insomnia and depression by 30% to 34% in some studies [4].
- Expressive Writing, such as poetry and journaling, can encourage cognitive restructuring, helping teens organize and become more aware of their thoughts. It can help clarify anxious feelings, aid in emotional release, and help teens process situational challenges such as grief, break-ups, or other life transitions.
Benefits of Art Therapy for Teens
Structured creative expression can help teens find new ways to heal as they work toward long-term recovery and success. A study from Drexel University found that after just 45 minutes of making art, 75% of participants had lower levels of cortisol, the primary stress hormone [5].
Art Therapy can also make it easier for teens to show and express emotions. Youth may find it hard to talk about their feelings because they are afraid, ashamed, embarrassed, or because they don’t know how to talk about them.
Art gives them a healthy way to express these and figure out what they are feeling. It can be especially helpful for teens who have trouble with communication challenges, social anxiety, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Art therapy also fosters self-awareness by helping teens gain better insight into their thoughts, feelings, perspectives, and actions. Through structured therapeutic art activities, teens can gain more understanding of their emotions, triggers, and glimmers (the opposite of triggers, moments that spark pleasure or joy).
10 Therapeutic Art Activities For Teens to Do at Home
Teens can try their hand at these ten art therapy ideas to help teens feel better and support their mental health:
- Make a self-portrait. Tell your teen to make a self-portrait in any way they want. This gives them the chance to think about who they are and how they see themselves.
- Make a collage of things you’re thankful for. Have teens make a collage of things they’re thankful for in their lives. This can help them focus on the good things that are happening and cultivate gratitude.
- Make a mandala. Mandalas are geometric shapes that are often used in meditation and mindfulness. Teenagers can make their own using different colors and shapes.
- Paint a landscape: Have them paint a picture of a place where they feel calm and peaceful.
- Make a vision board. A vision board is a visual representation of someone’s goals and dreams. Teenagers can make a vision board with pictures, words, and symbols that show what they want to happen in the future.
- Make sculptures out of clay. Working with clay can be a relaxing and therapeutic activity. Teenagers can make sculptures out of clay that show how they feel or what they’ve been through.
- Make a memory box. Have teens decorate a box and fill it with things that remind them of important memories or experiences. This can help teens think about their past and deal with hard feelings.
- Make art out of things found in nature. Teens can make a collage or mandala out of things like leaves, flowers, and stones. They will be able to connect with nature and practice mindfulness.
- Scrapbook. Teens can reflect on memories, friendships, and fun experiences by scrapbooking or putting together a photo collage of people in their lives who bring them joy.
- Paint to music: Teens can be very creative and spontaneous when they paint while listening to music. Tell them to pick music or create a playlist on Spotify that makes them feel something and see where their creativity takes them.
Heal Through The Power of Expression: Art Therapy for Teens in Texas
Clearfork Academy is a network of behavioral health treatment facilities helping teens recover from substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders. Along with conventional therapies such as CBT and DBT, we also offer art therapy to help teens manage triggers, cravings, and prevent relapse.
Our behavioral health center offers several levels of care, including residential treatment, partial hospitalization (PHP), and intensive outpatient (IOP), to meet the needs of teens and their families at all stages of recovery. Contact our admissions team today to see how we can support your teen.
Sources
[1] Bride, B. et al. (2014). The use of art and music therapy in substance abuse treatment programs. Journal of addictions nursing, 25(4), 190–196.
[2] Xu, J. et al. (2021). Art Therapy: A Complementary Treatment for Mental Disorders. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 686005.
[3] Willich, N. et al. (2024). Active Visual Art Therapy and Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Network Open, 7(9), e2428709.
[4] Beelmann, A. (2019). Effects of Dance Movement Therapy and Dance on Health-Related Psychological Outcomes. A Meta-Analysis Update. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 1806.
[5] Drexel University. 2016. At any skill level, making art reduces stress hormones. 2016.Drexel University.
Mike Carter, LCDC
Alumni Relations Manager
Mike grew up on a dairy farm in Parker County, Texas. At the age of 59, he went back to college and graduated 41 years after his first graduation from Weatherford College. God placed on his heart at that time the passion to begin to help others as they walked from addictions, alcoholism, and abuse of substances. He is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and in the past few years he has worn many hats, from intake and assessment, group counseling, individual and family counseling, intensive outpatient and now he is working with clients, therapist, and families on discharge planning and aftercare. He also coordinates our Alumni Outreach Program.
