Co-Regulation Through Creativity: How Art Therapy Supports Emotional Regulation in Children
Emotional regulation isn’t something children simply “learn” on their own—it’s something they develop through relationship. A child’s nervous system is shaped by the presence of a safe, attuned caregiver who offers co-regulation. This means that before a child can regulate their own emotions, they must first experience regulation through another.
For many children, especially those who are neurodivergent, highly sensitive, or have experienced early adversity, emotions can feel overwhelming. Art therapy offers a powerful way to bridge this gap, creating a space where children can process emotions with the support of a caregiver or therapist.
What is Emotional Regulation?
Emotional regulation is the ability to experience, process, and move through emotions in a way that feels manageable. But this doesn’t mean suppressing feelings or controlling them. It means being able to stay with emotions, express them in safe ways, and return to a sense of balance.
Young children don’t develop this ability in isolation. Their ability to regulate comes from experiencing co-regulation—where a caregiver offers warmth, attunement, and safety in the face of big emotions. Through repeated experiences of being met with presence rather than punishment or dismissal, a child begins to internalize regulation and carry it forward into their own nervous system.
How Art Therapy Supports Emotional Regulation
Art therapy provides children with a tangible, external way to engage with emotions in a safe and structured way. When children struggle to express how they feel with words, creative expression gives them another way to communicate.
Here’s how art therapy helps facilitate emotional regulation:
It Engages the Body in Processing Emotions
Emotions are not just mental experiences—they are physiological. Through art, children can move emotions outward in a way that feels safe. Scribbling to release anger, using soft pastels to soothe sadness, or tearing paper as a form of energetic release are all ways art therapy supports emotional movement.
It Creates a Safe, Non-Verbal Space for Expression
For children who shut down in the face of verbal processing, art becomes a bridge. Instead of being asked, “How do you feel?”—which can be difficult to answer—children can simply create. The process itself becomes the language.
It Supports Co-Regulation Through Creative Connection
Art therapy isn’t just about the art; it’s about the relationship built through it. When a therapist or caregiver engages in creative activities alongside a child, it offers a powerful experience of co-regulation. Sitting together, sharing materials, and attuning to the child’s process fosters a sense of safety.
It Helps Externalize and Make Sense of Overwhelming Feelings
Big emotions can feel chaotic and out of control. Through art, emotions can be made visible, tangible, and even playful. A swirling, chaotic scribble of frustration can be transformed into something meaningful, helping the child see that emotions are not something to fear but something to engage with safely.
It Reinforces Predictability and Safety
Many children with emotional regulation challenges struggle with unpredictability. Art therapy can introduce connective, repetitive processes—like painting in slow, rhythmic strokes or molding clay—which help reinforce a sense of calm and grounding.
How Parents Can Use Art to Support Emotional Regulation
Since emotional regulation is developed through co-regulation, parents and caregivers play a crucial role in supporting children’s emotional experiences. Here are a few ways you can bring the principles of art therapy into your everyday interactions:
Sit with your child during creative activities rather than directing them. Offer presence and warmth as they create.
Engage in shared creativity—draw alongside them, mix colors together, or follow their lead in an open-ended art project.
Use art as a bridge to emotions—instead of asking, “What’s wrong?” try saying, “Do you want to draw how you’re feeling?”
Validate their expressions—if a child paints in dark, intense colors, avoid the urge to “fix” it. Instead, say, “I see a lot of energy in your painting. Want to tell me about it?”
Offer sensory-based art activities like finger painting, clay play, or watercolors to help children ground into their bodies.
Children cannot regulate alone. They need safe, attuned adults who offer co-regulation, showing them through presence and warmth that their emotions are not too much to hold. Art therapy offers a pathway to this—an opportunity for emotions to be expressed, witnessed, and transformed in a space of safety.
If your child struggles with emotional regulation, art therapy can be a beautiful way to support them. It’s not about teaching them to “fix” their emotions but about giving them a space where their emotions can simply be—held, expressed, and met with care.
