Children unlike adults can't exactly express what is troubling them and they lack the verbal skills to describe their feelings or don’t know exactly what they feel or they might feel unsafe talking about their emotions. In such cases, art and play therapy can overcome those obstacles because it builds on the natural way children learn and express themselves i.e. by playing and being creative. It provides a safe emotional distance from their problems and can help bring suppressed feelings to the surface. This allows the therapist and the parents to gain understanding into the child’s inner world.

Expressive art therapy is an integrative psychotherapeutic process which includes expression through imagery, imagination, painting, clay, movement, sound, storytelling, and play. The expression during this process of intervention relies on sensory based experiences, active participation, and implicit communication. The general goal of art therapy is to help the client develop self-regulation, co-regulation, exploration, and restoration.

The process begins with regulation of mind and body through practicing and experiencing sensory based experiences. The client can establish safety, trust, and confidence in collaboration with the practitioner and gradually during the process the client is able to experience self-exploration and self-restoration.

Art therapy can be practiced with all age groups. The sessions can be one on one or group sessions. It can be implemented for multiple conditions in children: Intellectual disability, Down’s Syndrome, Autism, ADHD, CP, slow learners, and PTSD. Art therapy is quite solution oriented for adults going through situations like mid-life crisis, financial disputes, and marital conflicts and for elderly people suffering from dementia, old age depression and trauma.