ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on art therapy treatment for adolescent boys who had traveled unaccompanied from Central America to the United States (US) seeking asylum and international protection. Child welfare and mental health professionals as well as human rights organizations and networks raised their voices to urge the US government to stop Zero Tolerance policy due to the long-term effects and psychological impact on children and adolescents after forced separation. In the midst of international migration and refugees’ movements, there are children who travel by themselves, have been separated from both parents and other relatives, are not being cared for by an adult, and are facing particularly grave risks. The art therapy community ought to focus on developing more evidence about the effectiveness of art therapy in fostering resilience, preventing the development of symptomatology, and addressing particular needs of asylum seekers and refugees. The asylum seeker/refugee experience is best understood through delineated stages.
