Telling My Story in the Gallery: Art Therapy With Females on the Autism Spectrum

Abstract

For female adolescent and young adults with autism, a narrative approach to art therapy can provide a forum to highlight their voices. In multi-week art therapy group that included creating their own collections of art to display in a gallery, clients described their identities related to understanding their diagnosis and intersectional identities.

Keywords:

• Autism
• female
• narrative
• art therapy
• exhibition

Acknowledgment

I would like to acknowledge Taylor Guttesman, Art Therapist, MA, for your excellent work with our young adult program and for your efforts in co-curating Soaring Expression.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ashley Hartman

Ashley Hartman, PhD, ATR-BC, is an Assistant Professor of Art Therapy in the Department of Art at Marywood University, Scranton, PA.