2006

Adolescents are perhaps the most difficult group to counsel. Neither child nor adult, teens are in a kind of developmental limbo. They are too old for time out, yet too young to shoulder grown-up responsibility. Many therapists are reluctant to work with adolescents in therapy because they require a great deal of personal energy and patience. This is unfortunate, because adolescents benefit greatly from therapy with a counselor who understands the special needs of this unique group of young people. This paper will (1) describe how group therapy is an ideal therapy to use with adolescents, (2) demonstrate how expressive art therapy groups can be used effectively with teens, and (3) give hands-on examples of art activities that can be used with different adolescent groups.