Impact of early relationship trauma for children
Most of us know about trauma as a response to a terrible event that can cause shock, flashbacks, and difficult emotions, with PTSD-like symptoms, but now we understand that trauma can relate to early relationship difficulties that can cause separation anxiety and emotional imbalance. These could be traumatic experiences in childhood, as well as difficulties such as family separation or divorce. This can impact a person’s ability to form bonds with others. This article explains how art therapy for children with trauma, can help with cognitive development and relationship building.
Neuroscience research and attachment theory have given us insights into how trauma can affect brain development (Bowlby, 1969; Schore, 2003; Perry, 2009) and practitioners have long recognised the importance of art and play to help children develop the emotional framework essential for cognitive development. (Winnicott, 1971).
The benefits of Creativity, Play and Art Therapy
Art Therapists have investigated how the process of making art and processing it with an art therapist can help a person access areas of the brain that are locked off by trauma and distorted thought processes (Klorer, 2005; Hass-Cohen & Carr, 2008; Elbrecht, 2013; & Chong, 2015). Very often speech and language and other cognitive areas of the brain can be shut down as the mind and body seeks to deal with stressful situations.
Art Therapy can provide the bridge to strengthen attachments with others and be a transitional space in which a child can locate their feelings and process their emotional experiences in a natural way. (Malchiodi, 1990; Greenwood, 2011). While Oaklander’s (2015) work has highlighted the importance of play as a way for a child to channel and explore feelings. Creative expression can reconnect the mind and body, with sensory experiences minimising the use of avoidant behviours that can cause anxiety and aggressive outbursts.
Who can art therapy help?
- Art therapy for children with trauma can help children who have experienced stressful situations such as family separation, divorce, conflict, abuse, and trauma. Where they are not able to communicate how they feel.
- They may appear withdrawn and have internalised their difficulties. Or they may be externalising their emotions, with challenges with their behaviour.
- It can also help a child who is struggling with peer issues such as bullying and may need help to develop social skills to communicate with others.
Sessions look to help children to develop emotional regulation skills, self-soothing strategies, and resilience. Art Therapy sessions can take place in a private setting or at the individual school or college. you can find out more information by contacting Mindscape.
Art Therapy Training Workshop
For people interested in looking at this topic in more depth. Mindscape presents an Art Therapy for children with trauma workshop to explore these developments and to share insights about the importance of art and creativity for child wellbeing. As well as looking at examples of how art therapy can help children with attachment difficulties and relationship trauma. Contact Mindscape to find out more.
See the flyer below for more information.
References
Bowlby, J. (1968) Attachment and loss: Vol.1-3. London: Basic Books.
Chong, C.Y (2015) Why art psychotherapy? Through the lens of interpersonal neurobiology: The distinctive role of art psychotherapy intervention for clients with early relational trauma. International Journal of Art Therapy Vol. 20 , Iss. 3,
Elbrecht, C. & Antcliff,L.R. (2014) Being touched through touch. Trauma treatment through haptic perception at the clay field: A sensorimotor art therapy. International Journal of Art Therapy, 19, 19-30.
Greenwood, H. (2011) Long term individual art psychotherapy. Art for art’s sake: The effect of early relational trauma, International Journal of Art Therapy, 16:1, 41-51, DOI: 10.1080/17454832.2011.570274
Hass-Cohen, N. & Carr, R. (2008) Art Therapy and Clinical Neuroscience. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Klorer, Gussie P. (2005) Expressive Therapy with Severely Maltreated Children: Neuroscience contributions. Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 22(4) pp.213-220.
Malchiodi, C. (1990). Breaking the silence: Art therapy with children from violent homes. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Oaklander, V. (2015) Windows to Our Children: A Gestalt Therapy Approach to Children and Adolescents. The Gestalt Journal Press; 2 edition.
Perry, B. (2009) Examining Child Maltreatment Through a Neurodevelopmental Lens: Clinical Applications of the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 14:240–255, LLC ISSN: 1532-5024.
Schore, A. (2003) Affect dysregulation and disorders of the self. New York and London: W.W. Norton and Company.
Winnicott, D.W. (1971) Playing and Reality. New York and London: Penguin.