"Art Therapy is Therapy"
Conversation isn't always the best way to get to know a child. This is true of adults as well, but it is especially true of children who are still developing their language skills. The words they say are important, of course, but more revealing is often how they interact with their environment, including the other people in their world. How they use art materials can be especially instructive to someone committed to listening.
This is part of the art and science of art therapists, for instance. Nona Orbach, author of The Good Enough Studio and presenter at the upcoming Teacher Tom's Play Summit, says, "Art therapy is therapy," although not necessarily of the "talk therapy" variety.
A classic example, are drawings children make of their families. A lot can be determined from, say, the relative size of the individuals portrayed. The mother, for instance, is often portrayed as the largest figure, representing the out-sized importance the child places on her. Older siblings might be represented as being smaller, revealing a sense of rivalry. The child sometimes makes themself the largest figure and we CONTINUE READING: Teacher Tom: "Art Therapy is Therapy"