A testimony from a father who saw his son overcome anxiety thanks to music therapy.
Since our son, Leo, began to struggle with anxiety, life at home became a challenge. His days were filled with nervousness and panic, and watching his suffering was heartbreaking. We tried therapies, but nothing seemed to provide lasting relief. We felt lost, groping for a tool that could truly help him.
One day, I saw a Facebook post about music therapy. At first, I was skeptical. How could simple melodies combat something as complex as anxiety? Still, we were desperate, so we decided to give it a try. We contacted Golden Phoenix Mental Health, and it was the best decision we could have made.
Watching Leo in his first sessions was amazing. With the therapist’s guidance, it wasn’t just about listening to music. It was about creating it. He started with drums, tapping out his fears and frustrations. Then, he delved into the piano, letting the notes flow, and with them, his emotions. Music became his voice, a safe channel to express what words couldn’t.
Little by little, we noticed a change. The panic attacks became less frequent, and his smile—that smile that seemed to have been lost—began to reappear. Music gave him a new way to understand and manage his emotions, to find calm amidst the storm.
Today, Leo has changed a lot. I see him as a happy and confident young man. Music remains a fundamental part of his life, but now it’s a source of joy and strength. Music therapy not only gave us back our son, but it also showed us the incredible power of music to heal the soul.
If anyone is going through a similar situation, I would say without hesitation: give music therapy a try. It was a beacon of hope in our darkest moment and, for us, a true miracle.
A Bridge of Colors to My Son’s Soul
Ever since my son, Pablo, was diagnosed with autism, our world seemed to shrink around us. The days were a constant challenge of communication. He lived in his own universe, and I, his mom, felt unable to find the way in. I was desperate to see his frustration when he couldn’t express what he felt or needed. We tried many therapies, but none seemed to truly connect with his inner world.
A friend, who is a therapist, suggested art therapy. Honestly, I was skeptical. How could a simple drawing or a bit of clay help my son navigate a labyrinth as complex as autism? But desperation led us to try it.
The first session was very revealing. There was no pressure to talk, just a table full of materials: brushes, paints, crayons, clay. Pablo, who rarely made eye contact, was immediately drawn to the colors. His therapist didn’t give him instructions, she just invited him to explore. And so, with every brushstroke, with every shape he gave to the clay, Pablo began to speak in a way I had never heard.
Art became his secret language. Through a drawing of a monster, he showed me his fears. With an explosion of vibrant colors, he told me about his joy. With every figure he molded from the clay, he learned to manage his emotions. I discovered that the key was not to force communication, but to create a safe space for expression. Art therapy gave Pablo that space.
Today, my heart is overflowing with gratitude. Pablo still has his challenges, but the difference is immense. Now he has a tool to understand himself and to share his world with us. Art therapy not only gave him a skill, but it gave me my son back. It has helped us build a bridge of colors, one that connects his heart to mine. If you are a parent in our same situation, I tell you from the bottom of my heart: give art a chance. It is a gift worth more than a thousand words.
Healing Emotions Through Color and Form
As an art therapist at Golden Phoenix Mental Health Clinic, I’ve witnessed the incredible ability that children and young people have to heal and grow through creative expression. Often, when a minor comes to our clinic with emotional wounds caused by depression, divorce, anxiety, or trauma, words aren’t enough. That’s where art becomes a bridge, a tool to explore and give shape to what cannot be verbalized.
Art therapy is an approach that focuses on the creative process rather than the final product. It’s not about being a great artist; it’s about using color, clay, brushes, and paper as a language for the soul. I have seen children who refuse to talk about the sadness of their parents’ divorce represent their emotions through a collage of torn images and then, carefully, glue them back together—a symbol of their own lives being rebuilt.
We’ve worked with teenagers struggling with depression, who, through painting, have been able to give visual form to their feelings of emptiness or hopelessness. By externalizing these emotions, art allows them to acknowledge, understand, and ultimately manage them. The artwork becomes a safe space for dialogue, where we can discuss the colors they used, the shapes they created, and what those mean to them.
The power of art therapy lies in its non-threatening nature. For a child or young person, sitting down to talk with an adult can be intimidating, but creating art together breaks down those barriers. It gives them control and empowers them. Seeing the confidence they build, the resilience they develop, and the joy they find in the creative process is one of the greatest rewards of my work.
Every stroke and every shape a child creates is a step toward healing. It’s a reminder that, even in the darkest moments, the ability to express oneself and heal is always present. We are here to guide that process and to watch as brighter futures are painted.
The information presented on this platform is for informational and educational purposes only. Under no circumstances should it be construed as professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.