Art Therapy for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Adolescents and Adults

Eight art therapists and four Deaf/Hard of Hearing (D/HH) clients participated in this study that explored the specific challenges of art therapy with D/HH individuals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with both art therapists and clients to explore therapeutic goals, communication methods, the therapist-client relationship, the importance of art materials, and the central themes, and the challenges arising in therapy. The data were subjected to reflexive thematic analysis, and generated the key themes of self-perception, communication, and the multicultural aspects of art therapy with D/HH clients. Despite the communication challenges, the findings show that art therapy fosters self-expression and emotional growth in D/HH clients by providing them with a transitional space to process their identity and experiences.