Therapy through art. Facilitating treatment of sexual abuse

1. Infants and preverbal children encode memory through visual and sensorimotor channels, and there is evidence that at times of intense stress and terror, the cognitive memory system may be bypassed in all age groups. 2. Art therapy offers visual and sensorimotor media that may more easily allow repressed traumatic memories to surface. 3. Art therapy is often used with children and adolescents to overcome resistance, build trust, reduce tension, and stimulate memory. It may also be useful in working with adults, because the repression occurred at a much earlier developmental stage, the adult may also have a child's concept of the traumatic event.