"An estimated 66 percent of children report experiencing a traumatic event before age 16, according to the American Psychological Association"

"Nearly 1 in 5 (18%) of American adolescents have lost a family member or friend to some type of homicide. Of the adolescents, 9% were the survivors of criminal homicide and 7% of vehicular homicide, and 2% reported surviving both types of loss. Of the survivors, 53% had lost a close friend, 42% a non immediate family member, and 5% a close family member."

"The goal of art therapy is to utilize the creative process to help people explore self-expression and, in doing so, find new ways to gain personal insight and develop new coping skills."

"Early childhood trauma is a risk factor for almost everything, from adult depression to PTSD and most psychiatric disorders, as well as a host of medical problems, including cardiovascular problems such as heart attack and stroke, cancer, and obesity."

"If the trauma occurred during childhood, which is the case for many people struggling with addiction, often they did not get the services they needed at the time, and likely they had no advocate. The harmful effects of prolonged and repeated experiences of abuse, abandonment, molestation and chronic neglect run deep. What makes these experiences traumatic is the lack of a safe adult to count on for help or comfort.'

There is an increasing amount of scientific evidence that proves art enhances brain function. It has an impact on brain wave patterns and emotions, the nervous system, and can actually raise serotonin levels. Art can change a person's outlook and the way they experience the world.