One teenage client I worked with in the past struggled with depression, anxiety, and ADHD. All of these largely affected his lifestyle choices, including his nutrition. When we started working together, he was so numb and disconnected from his body. My usual approaches of dietary suggestions fell flat because his emotions and anger blocked his motivation and desire to make changes. He could care less about his diet and what he fueled his body with.

But he agreed to make art with me.

For weeks, we would meet together and head to the park down the street from his house. We sat on the grass, I’d pull out my box of art supplies and we’d draw, color, scribble, and sketch. I watched him move from colored pencils to thick markers. One week he used oil pastels.

I noticed how his color palate shifted. Slowly, he introducing more vibrant colors. One week he drew a sun and flowers.

Drawing and coloring allowed him to access a part of himself that was buried. When words failed, he used images and color schemes to illuminate the joy and childlike wonder that was dormant underneath the layer of depression and anxiety.

Art helped him access his heart. It took time. But his ability to uncover that part of himself that was buried was the first step in his wellness path. Eventually we were able to talk about food. But it took time, patience, curiosity, and in this case, crayons and construction paper.

His ability to ultimately reach the place where he could make things turned out to be the key that allowed him to make changes.