An Art Therapy Success Story

As told by Amber Makar, MSW, ASW; Therapist; Village of ChildHelp, USA

Shortly after her placement here at Childhelp, I was introduced to a shy, beautiful Latino girl around 7 years old.  To protect her confidentiality, we will use the name Sally.  Sally could not make eye contact with me or say anything other than yes or no during our first session.  She had the same problem with other adults and peers in the Cottage and at school.  She spoke so little that some adults wondered if she had severe speech delays.  When she would look at people, she only did so through her long dark hair that she pulled forward to hide her face.  She had extreme difficulty talking to anyone, especially about her past.  It was clear that traditional therapy was not going to be helpful with Sally.  She then began participating in Art Therapy. 

Not only did she seem to really enjoy it but she began to openly express herself in Art Therapy.  She began to ask to do specific art projects.  She also began to talk about her past and the traumas she had survived. 

After months of hard work and art therapy, she now can speak to adults and children in her life.  She can and will talk about her thoughts and feelings.  She talks in everyday life and she talks about her past during her art therapy sessions.  She smiles often and asks for hugs when she needs them.  She laughs with her friends and complains when they are unkind.  Without Art therapy, Sally would have likely remained hidden behind her wall of silence and pain for years to come.  For her Art Therapy was less frightening and painless than openly discussing her childhood traumas with a stranger- her therapist.  Art Therapy was a critical component in her success here at Childhelp.