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away in an effort not to be hurt. been able to stay in school, had been adopted by the
David did not expect anything good to last in foster family and was beginning a work placement in
his life and so he would make great efforts to destroy a local garage.
all good to keep his heart safe. As art therapy pro-
Conclusion
gressed and his foster carers were supported by the
authorûs colleagues, David experienced a safe and car- The potential of art therapy is enormous. At a
ing home, where he was loved but given firm disci- time of increasing concern over rising crime and the
pline–which he found very challenging at times and search for ways of redirecting offenders, and indeed
would push his foster family to the breaking point. youth, it seems vital to look properly at what art
His behavior improved in school; even though he never therapy has to offer.
really excelled academically, he was able to sustain As readers have seen, it is possible and impor-

more interest in subjects, particularly practical ones, tant to look at the factors behind the offending be-
and expressed desires for a career and thoughts of havior to determine the abilities to rehabilitate the
the types of jobs he wanted to do. client. In adolescents, these factors are often seen to
David learned to express his feelings and de- be the culmination of a series of difficult life experi-
velop safer ways of expressing his anger. His self– ences, with multiple stressors and impacting factors,
esteem improved, he formed a more positive identity, but art therapy can offer the young offender an op-
and found new ways of controling his aggression. portunity to recover from a variety of experiences of
David began to grow up and become an adult. He loss.
developed an understanding of his difficult behavior, Art therapy interventions have evolved to sup-

and although he did not express remorse for his vio- port the development of the emerging positive iden-
lence toward strangers outside, or to his thefts, it tity of clients, the growth of self–respect and address-
was apparent and obvious that he did feel bad about ing the problem of low self-esteem by developing in-
this, and that he was making efforts to change his terventions that highlight and support strengths.
friends and make better relationships, particularly with These strengths include individual development
his foster family. in many areas, such as emotional, academic, spiri-
David had been caught in the tendency for staff tual, and physical ones, along with interpersonal

to stereotype and label him as bad, and David had strengths, such as social skills and relationship-
12
gradually believed this and had stopped trying, until building.
beginning to attend art therapy where he gradually Themes of identifying feelings and experienc-
began to be able to view himself as someone with ing safety and comfort in self-expression are impor-
self–worth, value and that he was capable and could tant treatment gains that reflect greater self-aware-
achieve. Being seen, being heard and being given ness and self-approval. Art therapy aids one in expe-
the experience of being seen as someone capable of riencing growth and mastery through the art-making
change and achievement increased and developed and the therapeutic relationship. This can allow an
his self-confidence. experience of success and pride, which can be trans-

The art therapy relationship helped him to see ferable to other areas of an individualûs life.
and explore his patterns of behavior, gradually As has been described, interventions foster the
reframing these where he could test out new ways of growth of self-esteem, promoting non-verbal interac-
behaving and interacting. tion which may feel easier or safer initially in situa-
At the time of ending the art therapy David had tions where verbal disclosure may leave one vulner-