Art therapy in mitigating pervasive loss and grief within correctional settings

Those incarcerated often experience different types of loss. Because of where they are, such experiences often result in unresolved, unacknowledged, disenfranchised grief. Recognizing such vulnerability by those who are incarcerated is often difficult and, in some ways, dangerous. Not addressing such losses further exacerbates their chances of completing any respective programs established for success. Art therapy has been effective in alleviating such complications, including for those incarcerated inside correctional institutions. This article draws from the authors’ experiences of providing art therapy services in a statewide program for youthful offenders–those who are 14–22 years old but in the adult institutions–to mitigate obstacles for completing their General Education Degree—and will provide an overview of the various losses that incarcerated individuals experience, their potential grief responses, and the value of art therapy in addressing such grief. The case vignettes provided underscore how, as their expressions were made visible and subsequently seen, validated and acknowledged through art therapy, the incarcerated youth were able to begin the process of moving beyond their grief and attend to their goals, allowing them to succeed in their respective programs, which may include but are not limited to; re-entry focused, substance abuse, GED prep classes, college courses and technical trade programs.