Using Crayons to Exorcise Katrina

I found the article Using Crayons to Exercise Katrina found in the New York Times to be very interesting. The article discusses how through analyzing a Katrina victim's drawn picture, you can see the lasting trauma in the children. The majority of the children chosen for this exercise drew houses.. but only drew the roof of the house instead of drawing the whole structure. They were not drawing the house as a place of safety. Children will lasting Katrina trauma have experienced suicidal impulses, extreme anxiety, and difficulty in school. The children's drawings comprise of dead birds, broken houses, helicopters, and rescue boats. The drawings indicate how the children are coping. What I found particularly interesting was when the article stated that both adults and children participating drew at a level that is year younger than what it should be due to traumatic regression. Art therapists have had a huge impact on the lives of the victims. They visit often, teacher others to knit, keep journals, learn how to photograph, and engaged children in different activities. The art therapists have helped reduce the stress of the tragedy, but it will continue to be a gradual change.