176 • Introduction to Art Therapy
There are also some detailed case studies, like Margaret Naumburg’s (1950) work with
Harriet or Helen Landgarten’s (1981) with Lori. As is true for young children, adolescents seen
in art therapy suffer from a wide variety of disorders—including depression, phobias, eating
disorders, addictions, other problems with impulse control, and conflicts with authority.
Because adolescents are in the process of separating from their parents, they are often
more resistant to therapy than other age groups, unless they themselves have requested it.
For that reason, art may be more acceptable than verbal therapy, since the demand to talk
about problems is reduced and there can be pleasure and discharge in using materials once
anxieties about performance are overcome.
Adolescents are more inhibited about using art media and talking about their work than
younger children, because unless they have continued to study art, they feel inadequate as
artists. Like reluctant adults, they need to be helped by the therapist to understand why and
how using art can help them to understand their problems more rapidly.
Art Therapy for a Painfully Shy Adolescent: LUCY (13)
From the time of her parents’ divorce when she was three, Lucy had been a terribly timid
child. Forced by a judge to move to her father’s after a traumatic custody battle at age 12,
she became increasingly withdrawn and depressed. By the time she was brought for the
therapy that had also been ordered by the court, Lucy was justifiably suspicious because the
psychologist with whom she had met for the custody evaluation had not honored her stated
wish to remain at home with her mother and brother.
Since she was so reluctant to speak, it was fortunate for both of us that Lucy was willing to
try using art materials and that she liked doing so (DVD 8.4). She began by carefully model-
ing tiny clay creatures, just a few inches high (A). Though she worked in silence, Luc y was w ill-
ing to talk for the figures in response to my questions, as if they were puppets. The little figures
began to softly voice the angry feelings she had turned on herself, causing her depression.
After a few months, Lucy began to experiment with other media, like chalk, crayons,
and all kinds of paints (B). She told me a great deal about her fantasy life in powerfully
poignant paintings and poetry, long before she was able to speak freely and directly about
her feelings.
She gradually adjusted to her new school, and became involved with a group of giggly
girlfriends. After a year of weekly art therapy, Lucy was less depressed and more assertive—
no longer terrified of her intense feelings—no longer frozen in silence. Although her father
thought that she was so much better that therapy was no longer necessary, Lucy—who had
been too afraid of her dad’s temper to oppose him in the past—was able to speak up and to
say that she wasn’t ready to stop. She came for another year, and began to confront her more
deeply buried fears and fantasies.
The Story of Sam: A Schizoid Teenager (18)
Sam, oversized (six feet nine inches tall), overweight, and extremely bright, had dropped out
of school, and had literally locked himself in his room before coming to the clinic. He had
been in individual and family therapy for several months, and was referred to an adolescent
art–drama group, partly because he was talented in art (Rubin, 2005b). After seeing Sam for
individual drama and art assessment interviews, Dr. Irwin and I thought that this kind of
group might be especially appropriate for Sam. He had withdrawn completely from peers,
and we felt he would only be able to tolerate a kind of group therapy where he could work
individually until he was ready to interact with other members. This, in fact, is exactly what
happened (DVD 8.5).