How Can We Use Art Therapy to Foster Emotional Regulation and Expression in TCK’s and Individuals with Autism?
What is Art Therapy?
You might be wondering if art therapy is really something for you or your child – you might feel like you're not an artist, or your child might not have a background in arts. However, art therapy may not be exactly what you think; it is not about creating something beautiful, nor does it depend on your artistic skills – quite the opposite! Art therapy is about creatively expressing yourself regardless of the outcome. Think about it as a channel of communication and expression that is universally understood by everyone simply through using variations of colors and forms.
Art therapy can be used to allow us to express ourselves when language may fail. For example, when a child moves to a new country where they speak a different language, language becomes a barrier for expression and communication. Even kids who grow up bilingual may struggle with this. You might notice that they struggle to find the “right” word or switch between languages when trying to describe their experiences. While these challenges can be present in their everyday communication, they often become more pronounced when children are asked to express their emotions. Sharing inner emotional experiences can be challenging, and doing so in a non-native language places an additional cognitive and emotional additional burden. Children may feel less familiar with the new vocabulary, reducing their ability to fully engage and express themselves freely. This may lead to flatter emotional expressions, and descriptions that do not accurately reflect the child’s internal experiences. Art comes in to help us express ourselves fully and freely. When you struggle finding the right word or the authentic feeling, the simple choice of a colour can speak louder than most words. As Marilyn McKeown once said that “Art is all the feelings trapped inside”, meaning that creative expression allows us to better explore emotions and externalize deep internal conflicts. Through this expression we can better understand ourselves, fostering reflection, growth, and stimulating psychological healing.
How does it work?
Art therapy begins with getting out some art materials. Here at EKC, we use all kinds of things, such as colour pencils, paint, and modeling clay. We then may use specific prompts, like let’s draw a map of our lives, showing all of the landmarks we’ve experienced so far. It can also be abstract, just asking to work with the materials while reflecting on an experience, thought, or emotion. After working on the art, we will talk about what you’ve created, generating lots of curiosity.
Does it work for expats and Third Culture Kids (TCKs)?
Therapy is all about understanding experiences, and developing strategies to improve mental health. Art comes in when emotions are hard to communicate or when barriers in communication prevent us from expressing ourselves freely. TCK’s are faced with a lot of changes during a move – adjusting to a new home, forming new friendships, navigating unfamiliar transport systems – and often they have to learn a new language accompanied with different social norms. This accumulation of changes adds a burden not only on their daily lives, but their ability to express themselves emotionally in therapy. The simple sharing of emotional experiences in a non-native language decreases the intensity of emotions and can lead to misunderstandings or difficulties in communicating essential needs.This is where art comes in to verbalize emotional experiences and often helps with improving children’s memory. It is commonly used for emotional regulation, also when there are trauma-related symptoms. In this way, TCK’s can freely express feelings of relocation grief, identity disruption, and even traumatic experiences during the move.
Art is integrated differently across cultures making art therapy inherently culturally sensitive and adaptive to the individual’s environment, family context, and belief systems. The way a child engages with art therapy can reflect their family dynamics, habits, values, and broader sociocultural influences. Simply their choice of colours and shapes can tell us a lot about their internal experiences, sense of belonging, and cultural traditions – in other words; one picture is truly worth a thousand words. This integration of culture into art can help children and adolescents better understand their multicultural experiences, bringing internal conflicts to the surface, and fostering greater self-awareness.
What about children with Autism (ASD)?
Children with ASD often struggle with social communication and expression, so a nonverbal treatment like art therapy can be very helpful for them. In fact, art therapy improves flexibility, self-image, better communication, and learning in children with ASD. This is all because art therapy addresses two major components of ASD: social communication and repeated, inflexible behaviours.
Art therapy addresses social communication problems by offering a nonverbal, universal means of expression to share experiences. It creates a safe space that encourages expressiveness beyond the constraints of social norms. This allows children to be more engaged in expressing themselves, share more sensitive experiences, and develop greater self-awareness. As children learn to express themselves through art, they become more comfortable and confident in talking about their problems more openly in both therapy and home settings.
The diverse sensory experiences of sight and touch further target flexibility and attention difficulties, helping with restrictive repetitive behaviours. The gradual introduction of sensory materials, supports their sensory needs, fostering emotional regulation by reducing anxiety and stress. Therefore, art therapy may help individuals with autism feel calmer, and less bound to inflexible rigid behaviours.
So in short, yes, art therapy does help kids!
We can use art therapy to better understand ourselves as well as emotionally regulate. At EKC, we make sure to foster a safe and supportive environment to accommodate your needs, even when language fails.
Schedule a call today to speak with one of our therapists and see how we can help you and your family thrive.