What is art therapy for teenagers, and how can it help a teen who will not talk? Methods, what research says, confidentiality and tips for families.
Picture a father bringing his fifteen-year-old son to a first appointment. As soon as he enters the room, the teenager pulls up his hood, looks at his phone, and answers every question with "Dunno" or a shrug. The father is embarrassed: "He's like this at home too; he never tells us anything." This scene is familiar to anyone who works with teenagers. And it is exactly at this point that one question comes to mind: is it possible to communicate with a young person who doesn't want to talk in a different language? Art therapy for teenagers is one of the answers to this question. In this article we look at how creative methods are used in work with adolescents, what they may help with, their limits, and how families can offer support during this process.
What Is Art Therapy for Teenagers?
Art therapy is an approach in which creative tools such as drawing, collage, clay, photography or writing are used within a therapeutic relationship to help a person express their emotions and make sense of their experiences. Art therapy for teenagers is this approach adapted to the particular needs of adolescence.
An important distinction needs to be made here. A teenager drawing, writing songs or keeping a diary in their own room is a valuable creative activity and a form of self-care; but it is not therapy. Therapy involves a safe relationship with a trained professional, a defined framework and jointly agreed goals. Art-based work is one of the tools used within psychological support; it should not be thought of as a stand-alone treatment method.
No talent is needed for this approach. A teenager who says "I can't draw" can still take part, because the aim is not to produce a beautiful piece of work but to be able to bring what is inside to the outside. If you are curious about the basic principles of art therapy and how it generally works, you can read our article what is art therapy.
Why Don't Teenagers Want to Talk?
A teenager who doesn't talk is often labelled "stubborn", "disrespectful" or "uninterested". Yet behind the silence there are usually quite different things:
- The need for independence: Adolescence is the period in which a person builds an identity separate from their family. Not telling adults everything can be a natural part of this separation.
- Fear of being judged: Worries such as "They'll be angry if I tell them", "They'll say I'm exaggerating" or "Everyone at school will find out" are common.
- Being unable to name the feeling: Some young people genuinely don't know what they feel; there is turmoil inside them, but they cannot put it into words.
- Being brought against their will: For a teenager who comes to therapy not by choice but because their family or school insisted, staying silent may be the only way to keep control.
- The intensity of face-to-face conversation: Sitting eye to eye with an adult and talking can feel like an interrogation room to some young people.
For many young people in Turkey, exam pressure is added to this picture. During the years of preparation for the LGS and YKS (Turkey's national high-school and university entrance exams), a teenager's day is divided between school, private tutoring centres and practice tests; there is neither time nor space left for feelings. In some families, the sentence "Get through the exam first, then we'll talk" can turn into a postponement lasting years.
We should not forget that families, too, struggle in the face of this silence. When a young person who told their parents everything as a child suddenly closes their door, many mothers and fathers feel rejected, anxious or angry. These feelings are understandable; but persistently questioning the teenager, going through their phone, or reproaching them with "You never tell us anything" often deepens the silence. Keeping the door to conversation open is more effective than trying to force it open. At times when you sense that something is going on inside your teenager, patient closeness says more than a long lecture.
How Does Art Therapy for Teenagers Work?
In art-based work, talking does not disappear; but it is moved a little away from the centre. Between the young person and the professional there is a table, a sheet of paper, a box of materials. Attention is directed less at the face and more at what is being made. This state of "standing side by side" is more comfortable for many young people than sitting face to face.
Some creative tools often used in work with adolescents are:
- Collage: Creating a board from pictures and words cut out of magazines. Because it requires no drawing skills, it can be a good starting point for young people who say "I can't draw".
- Comics and story panels: The teenager tells the story of a day, a conflict or a dream by dividing it into frames.
- Song lyrics and playlists: Talking about the songs the teenager loves and what these songs make them feel, or writing their own lines.
- Photography: Looking at the world through the young person's eyes via photos taken on their phone.
- Clay and three-dimensional work: Materials that keep the hands busy and make room for anger or tension to drain out of the body.
- Digital drawing: For a generation growing up with screens, drawing on a tablet or phone can also be an option.
Let us say a sixteen-year-old girl is finding it hard to talk about being excluded at school. The professional simply asks her, "Could you show the feeling school has left you with this week using a colour or a shape?" The girl draws a small grey circle in the middle of the page, with colourful squares standing close together around it. Then she starts talking of her own accord: "The grey one is me. The others are always together." The professional's task here is not to interpret the drawing but to listen with curiosity to the young person's own interpretation. At the next session, perhaps a colour is added to the same circle; this small change also becomes a new topic for conversation.
How Does a Creative Session Unfold?
Every professional and every young person works differently; even so, the general flow of a session using creative tools often consists of similar steps.
Getting to know each other and setting the frame: In the first sessions, the young person is told clearly what will remain confidential, what may be shared with the family, and how long sessions will last. Getting a clear answer to the question "What's going to happen here?" reduces their anxiety.
Warm-up: Rather than going straight into a difficult subject, the session can begin with a simple, non-threatening activity: drawing today's mood as if it were a weather forecast, sharing a favourite song, or choosing images that catch their eye from a few magazine pages.
Making: The young person makes something with materials of their own choosing. Meanwhile the professional accompanies them without interrupting; if the young person wants to talk, they listen, and if they want to stay silent, they respect this.
Looking together: The piece that has been made is talked about. The questions here are open-ended: "What stands out to you most in this picture?", "What might this character be thinking right now?" The meaning is decided by the young person, not the professional.
Closing: If intense emotions have come up during the session, time is set aside at the end so that the young person can return calmly to their daily life. Where the piece of work will be kept is also decided together.
When Can Art Therapy for Teenagers Be Helpful?
Creative methods can be used as a supportive tool in a variety of situations by mental health professionals who work with young people:
- Anxiety, withdrawal and social shyness
- Low mood and lack of motivation
- Loss and grief
- Experiences of peer bullying and exclusion
- Family conflict and parental separation
- The search for identity and difficulties with body image
- Distressing or traumatic experiences
We need to be honest about the research. A health technology assessment examining art therapy studies with adults found significant positive changes in mental health symptoms compared with control groups in ten of fifteen randomised controlled trials; however, the quality of the studies was generally rated as low. Research specific to adolescents is more limited. In short, creative methods are a promising area of support; but they do not replace evidence-based therapies or, where needed, an assessment by a psychiatrist. If you would like to read more broadly about low mood in teenagers, our article on depression in teenagers covers the subject.
A young person may sometimes reject words, but they do not reject expressing themselves; they are simply looking for a language of their own.
Confidentiality and Ethics: Who Owns the Work a Teenager Creates?
One of the questions parents ask most often is: "Can I see the drawings they make in sessions?" This question is very understandable; it is natural to be curious about your child's inner world. However, the work produced in art-based sessions belongs to the young person and falls within confidentiality.
There are several reasons for this:
- If the young person knows that everything they make will be shown to their family, they start to censor themselves.
- A drawing can be misunderstood when taken out of context; dark colours or harsh images are not, on their own, a sign of danger.
- Work should only be kept, photographed or shared with the explicit permission of the young person and their parent or guardian.
Of course, confidentiality has its limits. When a situation is noticed that threatens the safety of the young person or someone else, this information is shared with the family and, where necessary, with the relevant authorities. These limits are discussed openly with both the young person and the family at the start of the work.
The same respect applies to drawings the teenager makes at home. Leafing through a notebook you found in their room, or photographing it and showing it to others with "Look what they drew", can seriously damage trust. Just as a diagnosis cannot be made from a drawing, secretly examining a drawing does not help the young person either.
What Can Parents Do at Home?
You are not expected to provide therapy at home; but you can take small steps to make communication with your teenager easier:
- Use the power of being side by side. Conversations in the car, while cooking or on a walk usually go more easily than moments when you sit facing each other and say "Let's talk".
- Approach your teenager's interests with curiosity. Ask about the music they listen to, the characters they draw and the series they watch without belittling them. Questions such as "What moves you most in this song?" can open a door.
- Don't judge their creative space. When you see a dark-themed drawing or a sad poem, try to talk with curiosity and in a calm tone, without panicking.
- Leave space beyond lessons and exams. Having room in the day for an activity that is not measured in marks and scores can be a breathing space for a young person.
- Model your own emotions too. Sentences such as "I got really stressed at work today; I'm going to listen to some music and calm down" show that dealing with emotions is something that can be talked about.
It is also worth remembering this: if one day your teenager spontaneously shows you something they have drawn, it is a sign of trust. In that moment, rather than evaluating the drawing, correcting it or immediately drawing a lesson from it, it is enough to say "I'm glad you showed me this. Will you tell me a bit about it?" In relationships with teenagers, the most effective steps are often not big conversations but small moments of trust repeated again and again.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
In adolescence, mood swings, withdrawal and conflict with the family are to some extent expected. However, the following signs suggest it may be helpful to speak to a professional:
- Low mood, lack of motivation or frequent crying lasting more than two weeks
- Complete withdrawal from friends and from activities they used to enjoy
- Marked changes in sleep and appetite
- A sudden and marked drop in school performance, or refusing to go to school
- Substance use or an increase in risky behaviour
- Signs of self-harm or frequent talk about death
If thoughts of self-harm or of ending one's life are present, call 112 (emergency services) without delay or go to the nearest emergency department.
In psychological support for adolescents, creative tools such as drawing, collage or music can also be used alongside talking, depending on the young person's interests and readiness. In adolescent counselling, there are usually individual sessions with the young person as well as conversations about how the family can accompany them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does art therapy for teenagers require artistic talent?
No. The aim is not to produce an aesthetically beautiful piece of work but to be able to express emotions and experiences. Tools that require no drawing, such as collage, photography or song lyrics, can also be used.
My teenager doesn't want to go to therapy. Can art-based work help persuade them?
For some young people, "not having to just talk" can be a relief and can make the start easier. Even so, rather than forcing the young person to take part, it is more helpful to listen to their worries, talk about what they expect, and present the first meeting as a chance to get to know each other.
Can I see the drawings my teenager makes in sessions?
The work belongs to the young person and falls within confidentiality; it is not shared with the family without the young person's permission. That said, the professional can share general information the family needs to know while protecting the young person's privacy. In situations that threaten safety, the family is informed.
Can art therapy treat depression in teenagers?
Creative methods can be a supportive tool; however, they are not considered sufficient on their own in the treatment of depression. They should be used together with evidence-based psychotherapies and, where needed, an assessment by a psychiatrist.
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Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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