The basic methods of art therapy can be applied to a wide range of psychological and emotional needs. When a child sits quietly looking at a sheet of paper and a set of colored pencils or paints, he or she is pulled into an internal world of feelings, concerns, wishes, and fears. Every choice he makes – color, placement, pressure on the paper, or a controlled line versus a free flowing one, etc. – may express a significant personal issue or challenge.
As one draws, he is externalizing and giving form to these concerns. The very act of creating a drawing or painting is empowering and may lead to greater awareness of emerging challenges or blocks to growth and development.