When I say “I feel anxious”, what do I mean? Do I feel the same as everyone else when I say this or do we all have different sensations and experiences that bring those sensations on? The arts support exploration of each client’s unique experience.

Some young people feel able to talk openly or use analogy and metaphorical images to describe effectively what is happening for them. For others modelling how their brain feels in play doh or using colour and abstract markings on a body shape can help them articulate and talk around the different sensations, when they started, when they first experienced them and gradually explore what happened to them.

Trauma can be very deep and very hard to talk about or access. Using a sandtray and movable characters can provide a way of depicting and exploring the situations and experiences they encountered using metaphorical imagery. This can enable an empathic understanding and validation without going directly to a difficult literal description.

Talking is important but the Arts supports the talking and offers a different form of communication.