People We Serve • 175anxieties about performance and about the therapist “seeing through” them, art therapy is
a fine avenue for the developmental task of identity formation.
Art is also one way to make relatively uncensored self-statements, since every creation
is a self-representation, even when it is not so identified. Exploring media, finding out
what you like and what you don’t, what is comfortable and what is not, are all fairly non-
threatening forms of self-definition. Developing a personal style, so important to ado-
lescents in dress and grooming, can be explored without embarrassment in the area of
artistic style.
Normal adolescence is a period of rapid physiological change, creating confusion and
concern about body image. Overwhelming and sometimes disorganizing feelings, along
with sudden mood shifts, are also characteristic of this hormonally fluid period of life. Art
offers a safe way to deal with such transformations, as was true for Betty Jane whose story
you heard in Chapter 1.
Defining the self in relation to the peer group is another major developmental task.
Creating alongside other teenagers about common themes like friends, or working together
on art projects like murals, are some of the many ways to deal with relationships through
art therapy. Adolescence is also a time to redefine one’s role in the family, and family art
therapy can help all members adjust to the changing equilibrium.
Most books about art therapy with children also include work with preadolescent and
adolescent youngsters. In addition, adolescent art therapy per se has been the focus of sev-
eral books written or edited by those who treat teenagers (Camilleri, 2007; Linesch, 1988;
Moon, 1998; Stepney, 2001; Riley, 1999).
Figure 8.7 An adolescent doing rug hooking.