How Art Therapy Builds Resilience After Divorce
When families move through divorce or separation, the emotional impact reaches far beyond the adults involved. For children, these transitions can bring confusion, grief, and unspoken fears that are difficult to articulate. In my practice, the focus is on helping individuals and couples navigate relational change with clarity and emotional insight. But healing in families also means supporting children through these shifts.
In this Interview, we speak with Janeen Chasan, LCAT, ATR-BC, LPAT, founder of Creative Arts Therapy Source, a group practice with locations in Levittown and Garden City, New York. As a licensed art therapist specializing in grief, Janeen brings a compassionate, developmentally attuned approach to helping children process the losses that accompany divorce. Her work offers an essential complement to adult therapy—ensuring that children are not overlooked during times of profound family change.
Q&A with Janeen Chasan, LCAT, ATR-BC, LPAT
When families go through divorce or separation, children often experience losses that are difficult to articulate. What are some of the emotional challenges you see most frequently in children during this transition?
Children often experience divorce as a series of layered losses—the loss of routine, the loss of living in one home, sometimes even the loss of daily contact with one parent. What makes it complex is that children don’t always have the language to express grief in the way adults do. Instead, it may show up as behavioral changes, withdrawal, anxiety, or anger. There can also be loyalty conflicts, where a child feels torn between parents. These emotional responses are normal, but without support, they can become internalized.
As an art therapist who specializes in grief, how does art therapy allow children to process emotions that may be hard to express through words alone?
Art therapy creates a bridge between internal experience and external expression. Many children struggle to verbalize abstract emotions like loss or confusion. Through drawing, painting, or sculpting, they can symbolically represent their feelings. The art becomes a safe container. A child might draw two houses, a storm, or a broken heart—imagery that communicates what they cannot yet say. As therapists, we gently explore those representations with them, helping them build emotional literacy and resilience.
Many parents worry about how divorce will impact their child long-term. What does resilience look like in children navigating family change, and how can it be supported early on?
Resilience isn’t about “bouncing back” quickly. It’s about helping children adapt while feeling secure and heard. A resilient child understands that the divorce is not their fault, feels safe expressing emotions, and maintains strong attachment relationships. Early support is key. When children have a consistent space to process their feelings—whether in therapy or at home—they’re less likely to internalize blame or shame. Resilience grows when children feel validated rather than silenced.
Can you share how art therapy sessions create a safe space for children to explore feelings like anger, confusion, loyalty conflicts, or sadness?
The art room is intentionally structured to feel predictable and safe. Materials are accessible, and there is no “right” or “wrong” way to create. This reduces performance pressure. When children feel control over their creative process, they begin to express deeper emotions. For example, a child navigating loyalty conflicts might create two separate worlds on the page. That visual separation opens a gentle doorway for discussion. The process is empowering because it centers the child’s voice.
For parents currently going through separation, what are some practical ways they can emotionally support their children at home—even outside of therapy?
First, provide reassurance consistently. Children need to hear that both parents love them and that the divorce is not their responsibility. Second, maintain routines whenever possible—predictability reduces anxiety. Third, invite expression in creative ways. Parents can keep simple art supplies at home and encourage drawing or journaling without pressure to “explain” the artwork. Finally, model emotional regulation. When parents seek support for themselves, they’re better able to remain grounded for their children. For families seeking additional guidance, learn more about art therapy services in New York.
How do you see art therapy complementing traditional talk therapy for adults who are working through divorce themselves?
When adults engage in their own therapeutic work, it creates a ripple effect. Parents who gain clarity and emotional regulation are better equipped to co-parent effectively. Art therapy for children complements that process by giving children their own dedicated support system. It ensures the entire family system is receiving care, not just one part of it.
Divorce represents a significant transition, but with thoughtful support, it can also become an opportunity for growth and resilience. Through Creative Arts Therapy Source, Janeen Chasan provides children with tools to process grief in a developmentally appropriate way—ensuring that family change does not become unprocessed trauma.
Families navigating separation benefit most when adult relational therapy and child-centered interventions work hand in hand.
