Not every childhood is filled with bedtime stories, gentle memories, and safety. Some of us grew up in homes where silence was louder than words, where boundaries were blurred, or where love came with conditions. If you’re just now waking up to the truth that your childhood wasn’t the fairy tale you hoped for, know this: you’re not alone—and your healing journey can begin now.

One of the most gentle and profound tools for processing childhood trauma is art therapy. Whether guided by a trained therapist or explored solo, creative expression allows us to tap into emotions, memories, and messages that words often fail to reach.

As Bessel van der Kolk, author of *The Body Keeps the Score*, puts it:
“Trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past. It is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body.”[2]

What is Art Therapy?

Art therapy is a mental health profession that combines the creative process with psychotherapy. According to the American Art Therapy Association, it’s used to improve cognitive and sensorimotor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, and reduce conflict and distress.[1] You don’t need to be an artist—just willing to let the process unfold.

Why It Works for Trauma

Trauma—especially from childhood—lives in the body and the subconscious. Verbalizing those early wounds can feel impossible or even unsafe. Art bypasses language, letting the inner child speak in color, form, and texture. As Bessel van der Kolk, author of *The Body Keeps the Score*, puts it:
“Trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past. It is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body.”[2]

Techniques to Explore at Home

If you’re easing into this on your own, here are some approachable art therapy techniques that blend creativity with introspection:

🎨 Inner Child Drawing – Use crayons or markers to draw as if you were six years old. What does your younger self want to say?
🌀 Emotion Mandalas – Create circular patterns based on your current emotions. Each layer can represent a different feeling or memory.
📘 Visual Journaling – Combine images, doodles, and writing. Let your pages be messy, raw, honest.
📷 Phototherapy – Use photos from childhood (if you have them). Try creating collages that show the contrast between past and present.
💌 Letter to My Younger Self – Create a visual letter using magazine clippings, hand lettering, and symbols.

You can light a candle, put on gentle music, or begin with prayer or meditation if you wish to integrate your spirituality into this practice.

Working with a Therapist

While self-guided work is powerful, many people benefit from working with a certified art therapist. They can:
– Provide a safe space for expression
– Interpret imagery with clinical insight
– Guide you through deeper trauma releases

Look for licensed art therapists through the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) or Psychology Today’s therapist directory.

Blending Creativity with Spiritual Healing

For many, healing childhood wounds also includes re-connecting to a loving, trustworthy image of God. Consider combining art practices with:

🕊️ Lectio Divina – Meditate on a comforting Scripture passage and draw your visual reflections.
🕯️ Prayer Journaling – Use collage, watercolor, or stamping as part of your prayer routine.
🎼 Worship Art – Let the music move your brush. No rules. Just release.

Psalm 107:8-9 reminds us:
“Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”

Books & Resources to Explore

– The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
– Healing the Child Within by Charles L. Whitfield
– It’s Not Always Depression by Hilary Jacobs Hendel
– The Creative Cure by Jacob Nordby
– Find a licensed art therapist at: arttherapy.org or psychologytoday.com

Gentle Next Steps

If you’re reading this, you’ve already taken a step toward healing. Art is not about perfection—it’s about permission. Give yourself permission to be messy, tender, and curious. Creativity is a language your soul already speaks.

Your childhood may not have been a fairy tale, but your healing can be a masterpiece.

🖌️ With grace and color,
Brigetta Margarietta™

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