Art Therapy Kits Expand Access To Healing for Taos Youth

Art Therapy can be a powerful tool for teens dealing with anxiety, depression, or trauma. Through the creative process, participants can gain greater self-awareness, process difficult emotions, and develop new coping mechanisms. However, underresourced teens in Taos can face significant barriers when it comes to accessing art therapy, including cost and a limited number of practitioners.

So a local art therapist reached out with an idea: develop art therapy boxes that include supplies and a step-by-step guide that will enable more children to safely engage in and benefit from art therapy at home.

LOR’s funding was used to stock 250 art therapy boxes with materials like air-dried clay, oil pastels, pencils, markers, sketchbooks, and journals. These boxes, which also include an instructional card with directions for self-guided exercises, will be distributed to children and teens via the Dream Tree Youth Shelter, Taos Behavioral Health Programs, and The CAV Women and Children’s Shelter.

This project is fiscally sponsored by Downtown Taos.