Art Therapy in Thunder Bay for Kids Who ‘Don’t Like Talking’
When Talking Feels Too Hard for Your Child
I often sit with parents who feel stuck and worried because every attempt to check in with their child seems to hit a wall. If your child shrugs, says "I dunno," or quickly changes the subject when feelings come up, you might feel unsure, frustrated, or even a bit guilty, wondering if you are asking the wrong questions or missing something important. If that's you, you're having a very human response to a really tender part of parenting.
In my work with kids and families, I see many children who do not like talking about big feelings, school stress, friendship changes, or family transitions. This is not a sign that you have failed as a parent. It usually means your child may need a different way to feel safe and understood. Talk-based counselling can be supportive for some kids, and there are also other ways to connect with their inner world.
At Northwest Wellness in Thunder Bay, I offer counselling that uses art for children who would rather draw, build, or doodle than answer a long list of questions. I bring creative tools like drawing, collage, painting or sand trays into our sessions together. My focus is on meeting kids where they are, using art as another doorway into their thoughts and feelings, instead of asking them to rely only on words before they feel ready.
A note on what I do, and what I don't
I want to be clear about this from the start: I am not a registered art therapist. Art therapy is its own distinct profession, with its own training, credentials, and registration process, and I have not completed that pathway.
What I offer is counselling that uses art as a way in. Drawing, building, and making give a child something to do with their hands and another way to show me what is going on inside. The art is a tool I use to help children engage, settle, and express themselves during counselling.
Why Some Children Can Show a Feeling They Cannot Explain
Here is something I notice again and again: a child who cannot explain a feeling can very often show it.
Ask an eight-year-old why they have been waking up at night and you may get a shrug and a completely sincere "I don't know." That answer is usually honest. Feelings arrive in the body long before children have language for them. Much of what kids carry is also layered in ways that are hard to fit into a sentence, like being nervous and excited at the same time, or angry at someone they also love, or sad without a reason they can point to.
Those things are difficult to say. They are much easier to draw.
The same child who could not answer the question might sketch a small figure standing under a very large, very dark sky. They might reach for black when they colour one person in a family picture and bright colours for everyone else. They might build a sand tray where one tiny animal is walled off from all the others. None of that asks them to find the right word first. It is still communication, and it is often closer to the truth than anything they could have managed out loud.
This is the heart of why I keep art materials in the room. A child does not have to translate their inner world into adult vocabulary before we can begin. They can point, choose a colour, make a shape, and we can work from there together.
How I Use Art in My Sessions With Kids Who Do Not Like to Talk
I often explain art to kids as "another language" we can use together. Instead of only using words, we might use:
Drawing
Painting
Collage and stickers
Clay or playdough
Simple crafts or sand tray figures
In my work here in Thunder Bay, the focus stays on the process, not on making "good" art. Kids do not need to be "artistic" or careful. Scribbles, blobs, messy paint, and half-finished projects are all welcome. I'm interested in expression and exploration, rather than performance.
For many children, hands-on creating can lower anxiety and pressure. Using markers, clay, or scissors gives the body something to do, which can:
Help kids settle into the room
Create a sense of choice and control
Make silence feel less intense or uncomfortable
Give space for thoughts and feelings to slowly come forward
Research on creative expression and child development points in a consistent direction: making things can support emotional regulation, communication, and self-awareness, particularly for children who find direct conversation difficult.
Art can also turn fuzzy, hard-to-name feelings into something you can see. A child might:
Draw their worry as a storm cloud or creature
Pick colours for different emotions
Build a "safe place" out of paper or blocks
Create a comic about "a kid who feels like…"
Once the feeling is on the page or in the sand tray, it can become a little easier to notice, name, and sometimes talk about. Some children prefer to let the artwork tell the story. I follow their lead, gently noticing shapes, colours, and themes, and I only invite conversation when they show signs that talking feels okay for them.
A Gentle Look Inside a Session That Uses Art
First sessions with kids at Northwest Wellness are intentionally slow and gentle. When a child arrives, I say hello, show them the room, and point out some of the materials. There is no expectation to open up right away. We might simply notice what looks interesting and choose an activity together.
I usually offer a few options, such as:
Drawing or colouring
Collage with magazines and stickers
Sand tray with small figures
Simple games that include art or storytelling
The child gets to decide what feels safe or fun that day. While they create, I might ask soft, open prompts, like "If this colour was a feeling, what would it be?" or "What kind of day is this character having?" Kids are always free to pass, ignore a question, or suddenly change the topic. Those choices give me information about what feels comfortable for them.
Common reactions are all very understandable:
Some kids dive straight into the art and talk the whole time
Some sit and look around for a while before trying anything
Some stay mostly quiet and just make things with their hands
I do not push them to open up. Over time, I often notice patterns in their art, such as repeated colours, characters, or stories. These patterns can offer clues about what they might be struggling with, like anxiety, anger, grief, or confusion. I use this understanding to shape future sessions and to guide the conversations I have with caregivers outside the therapy room.
Supporting Thunder Bay Kids Through Seasons of Change
In Thunder Bay, the rhythm of life shifts with strong seasons, long winters, busy hockey or indoor sports, and then a rush of outdoor time when the weather turns milder. Schedules often change as school starts, summer programs end, or new activities begin. These transitions can bring up big feelings for kids, even when the changes are positive.
Seasonal transitions may come with:
Worries about new classrooms or teachers
Sadness about finishing a sport or activity
Stress about changing routines and sleep schedules
Mixed feelings about visits with extended family
These are exactly the kinds of feelings children struggle to put into words. A child may not be able to tell you that the end of hockey season feels like losing a whole group of friends at once. They can often draw it.
In session, I might invite a child to:
Make a "summer memory book" to ease the shift into school
Draw a "back-to-school comic" about a character with similar worries
Create a "feelings map" of their new routine, using colours for emotions
Design symbols for things that feel safe, calming, or exciting in each season
Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario include many different families, including Indigenous communities, newcomer families, multi-generational households, and many other constellations. Art can hold cultural stories, values, and strengths in ways that feel personal and meaningful. I invite kids to include their own traditions, symbols, and languages in their art, whether that means drawing land that feels like home, adding words from more than one language, or including cultural items that matter to them. My intention is to respect what is meaningful for each child and family.
Working Together as Caregivers and Therapist
Parents and caregivers know their kids best, so your insight is very important in this process. I often include caregivers through short check-ins before or after a child's session, phone conversations, or separate parent-only appointments. These times are for sharing what you are noticing at home, asking questions, and thinking together about gentle support.
While sessions focus on your child's pace and privacy, I can still talk with you about things like:
How nervous-system responses can look in kids
What might be age-appropriate in emotional reactions
Possible triggers you are already noticing
Ways to adjust expectations, routines, and transitions
We might also spend time exploring approaches to support your child without relying on "big talks" they are not ready for. This can include experimenting with different ways you check in about their day, shaping calmer routines, or adding small, predictable connecting moments. You do not need to be artistic or "good with feelings" to be an important part of your child's therapy. Part of my role is to offer practical, compassionate ideas that fit your family's values, culture, and daily life. For some families, we may also weave in occasional family or sibling art activities to help build connection and shared understanding in a low-pressure way.
Exploring the Use of Art in Therapy in Thunder Bay With Your Child
If you recognize your "does not like talking" child in what you've read, counselling that uses art may be a softer way to begin support. At Northwest Wellness, I offer counselling for children, teens, and adults across Ontario, along with clinical consultation and DEIA-focused support for organizations. With kids, I pay close attention to their strengths, their sensitivities, and the ways they already express themselves through play, art, or movement.
Getting started usually begins with a simple conversation about your child, what you are worried about, and what seems to help or not help right now. From there, we can consider together how creative approaches might fit, and what a first session could look like so that your child has the best chance of feeling safe and comfortable. Even wondering about this kind of support is already a caring step. In the therapy room, your child is not expected to talk before they are ready, and I stay curious, gentle, and creative as we learn their unique language.
If you would like to learn about art therapy as a distinct profession, or you are looking specifically for a registered art therapist, the Canadian Art Therapy Association (canadianarttherapy.org) and the American Art Therapy Association (arttherapy.org) both publish information about training, credentials, and current practice in that field.
Take A Supportive Step Toward Creative Counselling
If you are ready to explore how creativity can support your child's mental health, I would be glad to tell you more about my art-informed approaches in Thunder Bay. At Northwest Wellness, we work together to create a safe, encouraging space where your child's story and your child's pace are respected. Reach out to me and book a time to talk about whether this approach is a good fit for your family.
