Is your teenager out of control? Unable to conform to even basic societal rules? And is traditional therapy not working? Perhaps it's time to consider art - art therapy that is.
Art therapy, sometimes used at therapeutic boarding schools, provides a fresh take for both parent and child. Using art as a form of expression serves as a release of pent-up emotions, and allows your teenager to release negative energy.
The focus of therapy using art isn't necessarily the artwork itself, but rather the creative way in which teenagers are able to express themselves. They needn't display or even keep their work, it is simply important that they take part in the activity.
Why does art therapy work?
First, art therapy breaks down any barriers to communication. Teenagers and therapists alike are able to start off with a fresh canvas so to speak.
Second, using art in the therapy process appeals to all different learning styles, including visual, abstract, and hands-on learners.
And finally, art can tap into previously undiscovered sources of inspiration. This allows the troubled teen to express themselves while attaining a level of accomplishment or release. Some teenagers who take part in art therapy have expressed feeling a fresh breath of life in their lungs. A good feeling for both child and parent.
Art therapy is an activity not confined to certain mediums. From clay sculptures for soothing the senses, to the easy to use pastels, and on to acrylic paints for the more courageous artists, there is something that everyone can take part in.
Projects are not limited to the individual either. Sometimes, residents at therapeutic boarding schools are asked to work on their art projects in small groups, allowing them to interact and help each other as a fully functioning team.
The benefits of attending a school who uses therapy with the arts are numerous and can be applied to the troubled teens themselves, as well as their family and friends. For teens, it helps them to see that their decisions are more than one dimensional, and that repercussions for those decisions are felt by others - sometimes by those closest to them, whom they want to hurt the least. For family and friends, viewing the artwork or display at a therapeutic boarding school allows them to see how young people really think, feel, and act.
So, if all traditional methods of therapy seem to be lost on your teenager, and communicating with them seems like a lost cause, maybe it's time to pull out some paints, a blank canvas, and let them show you how they're feeling.
Communication after all, is an art form.
To get more information on Therapeutic Boarding Schools and Christian Wilderness Therapy, you can visit NHYM.org
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_M_White
Art therapy, sometimes used at therapeutic boarding schools, provides a fresh take for both parent and child. Using art as a form of expression serves as a release of pent-up emotions, and allows your teenager to release negative energy.
The focus of therapy using art isn't necessarily the artwork itself, but rather the creative way in which teenagers are able to express themselves. They needn't display or even keep their work, it is simply important that they take part in the activity.
Why does art therapy work?
First, art therapy breaks down any barriers to communication. Teenagers and therapists alike are able to start off with a fresh canvas so to speak.
Second, using art in the therapy process appeals to all different learning styles, including visual, abstract, and hands-on learners.
And finally, art can tap into previously undiscovered sources of inspiration. This allows the troubled teen to express themselves while attaining a level of accomplishment or release. Some teenagers who take part in art therapy have expressed feeling a fresh breath of life in their lungs. A good feeling for both child and parent.
Art therapy is an activity not confined to certain mediums. From clay sculptures for soothing the senses, to the easy to use pastels, and on to acrylic paints for the more courageous artists, there is something that everyone can take part in.
Projects are not limited to the individual either. Sometimes, residents at therapeutic boarding schools are asked to work on their art projects in small groups, allowing them to interact and help each other as a fully functioning team.
The benefits of attending a school who uses therapy with the arts are numerous and can be applied to the troubled teens themselves, as well as their family and friends. For teens, it helps them to see that their decisions are more than one dimensional, and that repercussions for those decisions are felt by others - sometimes by those closest to them, whom they want to hurt the least. For family and friends, viewing the artwork or display at a therapeutic boarding school allows them to see how young people really think, feel, and act.
So, if all traditional methods of therapy seem to be lost on your teenager, and communicating with them seems like a lost cause, maybe it's time to pull out some paints, a blank canvas, and let them show you how they're feeling.
Communication after all, is an art form.
To get more information on Therapeutic Boarding Schools and Christian Wilderness Therapy, you can visit NHYM.org
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_M_White