Expressive Arts Group Therapy with Children and Adolescents who have Experienced Trauma

Author

Shade Alfred, Lesley University

Date of Award

Spring 4-30-2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MCM - MA Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Department

Expressive Therapies

Advisor

Tomoyo Kawano

Abstract

Experiencing traumatic situations is an inevitable part of life that many have struggled to understand and have difficulty working through its effects. This results in persons seeking therapy to better cope and heal from the impact of the traumatic experience. Children and adolescents who are considered vulnerable require more assistance to help them when they have encountered a traumatic experience. Research has highlighted that Expressive Arts Therapies is a favorable treatment option used with traumatized children and adolescents. Hence, this paper reflects research that has been conducted on group expressive arts therapy with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma. The paper focused on the application of art, dance, drama, and music therapy in a group setting with traumatized children and adolescents. The literature reviewed generated information which highlighted that the findings of the research which has been conducted on this population are difficult to generalize because of small sample sizes. Nonetheless, results indicated that participants in these therapeutic sessions experienced significant positive change towards healing from the effects of their trauma.

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Recommended Citation

Alfred, Shade, "Expressive Arts Group Therapy with Children and Adolescents who have Experienced Trauma" (2018). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 40.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/40