Art Therapy is a vehicle for regulation, engagement, and creativity. Art Therapy sessions include material or concept driven directives to provide a framework for the therapist-child interactions or social interactions among children. Materials are carefully selected to meet the specific needs and interests of each child and can be used in a novel way to promote the goals of many different therapies. The Art Therapist uses materials and sensory art experiences to gain access to emotions and drive children to meet fundamental developmental levels. As a means of expression, art can be paramount for children who may not be able to express emotions through spoken language, acting as a tool to ease frustration and anger or to express happiness. In an Art Therapy session, the therapist will use high affect to encourage and increase interaction working toward continuous flow, helping children expand ideas by playfully obstructing familiar patterns, expand peer interactions by using highly motivating themes that require group practice and draw attention to others, and expand creative play and exploration of materials.
