ART TERRA π: Art Therapy in Youth Work – Reflections on Our Latest Training
Wow! The first week of our flagship project dedicated to art therapy and youth work techniques has just come to an end — and what a journey it was! This training, part of our KA1 accreditation, took place with the support of the Portuguese Erasmus+ Youth Agency – Agência Nacional Erasmus+ Juventude em Ação – and brought together professionals and young people facing various challenges: lack of motivation, learning difficulties, limited educational opportunities, an uncertain future, refugee experience, and more.
We had the honor of welcoming participants from Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Greece, Bulgaria, Malta, and Spain, as well as psychologists and social workers who support children, teenagers, and young refugees.
Why Art Therapy?
Recent studies show that over 30% of students in Portugal experience depression, and nearly 10% of Madeira’s population has been diagnosed with clinical depression requiring medical treatment. When we looked at data across Europe, we saw a similar situation everywhere.
Our association has worked with art therapy for years and witnessed firsthand how it empowers young people, gently guiding them toward self-awareness and emotional healing. Unlike traditional therapy, art therapy allows youth to explore and address deeply rooted issues in an engaging and creative way.
Despite its proven impact, art therapy remains underestimated as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool. With this gap in mind, we designed our training with a balanced approach:
50% of participants were experienced professionals (psychologists, social workers, and youth workers) who already use art therapy in their practice. Through collaboration, we enriched the program with new techniques and perspectives.
50% were newcomers who, from the very first session — a holistic, meditative energizer — fell in love with the process.
A Unique Setting for a Unique Experience
The training took place at an eco-quinta in Madeira, surrounded by mountains and forests — with unexpected companions like peacocks and sheep. Nature, creativity, and therapeutic exploration came together in a one-of-a-kind learning environment.
Workshops That Inspired Us
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
A silent, art-based group challenge where participants “drew” a meal suitable for everyone, taking into account each person’s dietary needs. This playful yet deep activity encouraged:
Collaboration – understanding others’ needs and preferences.
Empathy – thinking beyond personal choices.
Non-verbal communication – the entire session was held in complete silence!
A beautiful metaphor for teamwork, intercultural dialogue, and inclusion.
Art and Storytelling
Each participant contributed to a collective story by passing along a ball of yarn, developing:
Imagination – creating an unexpected, evolving narrative.
Co-creation – working together toward a meaningful story.
Emotional awareness – reflecting on the themes that emerged during the story.
The session ended with drawing a scene from the story, helping participants explore their emotional connection to it.
Clay and Artistic Materials
Each evening, we lost ourselves in the creative process, realizing how empowering art-making can be when free from judgment.
Sculpting emotions – transforming thoughts and feelings into tangible forms.
Sensory therapy – the calming effect of working with clay.
Self-expression – letting emotions take shape uniquely.
Coffee Painting and Fortune Telling
A fun and intuitive activity where each participant interpreted their own coffee stain drawing. This simple yet profound session encouraged:
Mindfulness – pausing in the moment and embracing spontaneity.
Personal interpretation – finding meaning in abstract shapes.
Storymaking – crafting narratives from the imagery that emerged.
Once again, proof that through art, there is no single “right” way to see the world.
Collage Technique: Visualizing Change
One of the most impactful sessions, where participants:
Visualized their dreams and personal goals.
Reflected on their opportunities in a creative way.
Expressed their desire for change through a visual vision board.
This workshop helped participants map their aspirations and recognize the steps to bring them to life.
Our New Game: Resilience
We couldn’t miss the chance to test our latest creation — Resilience, a game developed as part of our other project Empower Canvas, helping players explore emotional strength, adaptability, and mental well-being.
The feedback was so positive and meaningful that we made an important decision — we will now translate the game into Russian and Ukrainian! Many of our participants work with Russian-speaking minorities and Ukrainian refugees, and this language accessibility will significantly increase the game’s impact.
What’s Next?
These were just some of the workshops we developed and tested during this training. Daily reflections helped us adapt techniques to different target groups, community needs, and professional backgrounds.
Now that the training has ended, we are finalizing an e-book that will compile the most effective methods and tools. This free resource will be available on our website.
In addition, each participant is now developing their own adapted workshop tailored to their local community and audience — ensuring that the impact of our project extends far beyond this training.
Final Thoughts
This week reaffirmed the power of art therapy as a tool for transformation — enhancing emotional well-being, social inclusion, and professional growth. Whether it’s painting, storytelling, sculpture, or playing together, art therapy has the capacity to break barriers, spark self-reflection, and strengthen resilience.
Stay tuned for our e-book release, and let’s keep bringing creativity, healing, and expression into youth work — together.
Link to the original article and E-book download:
https://www.artmadeira.org/post/art-terra-%CF%80-art-therapy-in-youth-work-reflections-on-our-latest-training
Project participant from Novucenter – Svetlana Smirnova
