Create, destroy, recreate: A case study of art therapy with children who have experienced early trauma

Aggressiveness and emotional dysregulation are common consequences of early childhood trauma. This group case study explores the importance of implementing targeted strategies and tailored materials in art therapy to address these core features of childhood trauma. The intervention is part of the R&D&I project ‘Brundibár: El proceso creativo y el arteterapia como vía de bienestar ante el trauma infantil’ [Brundibár: The Creative Process and Art Therapy as a Pathway to Wellbeing Following Childhood Trauma] (PID2020-114238RB-I00), led by the EARTDI research group (Complutense University of Madrid) in collaboration with Save the Children (STC 1 ). This paper presents an art therapy programme conducted over 40 sessions delivered over a two-year period (2022–2024) to a group of preadolescents receiving support from STC. The findings indicate that the selected materials promoted a creative process, through which participants were able to modulate their aggressive impulses and develop emotional regulation strategies. Furthermore, the use of a shared symbolic language enabled the group to express aspects of their traumatic experiences through colour and texture, generating a visual narrative of pain and resilience. Based on the outcomes observed, this case study suggests that group art therapy for children affected by trauma provides a valuable space for fostering adaptive inter- and intrapersonal skills, thereby enhancing their cognitive, emotional, and social resources.