When people hear “art therapy” they immediately think of a fine art (like painting the Sistine Chapel) and that they have to be good at it.
I’m here to tell you that the answer is NOPE! It’s much more simple than that, and it’s quite beautiful.
So if not just painting or drawing, then what is Art?
A definition of art is “the various branches of creative activity, such as painting, music, literature, and dance.” But why stop there!?
I'm here to tell you of five great areas of creativity and how they benefit you:
☀️JOURNALING
☀️COLORING
☀️OBSERVING (not just doing) ART
☀️MUSIC + MOVEMENT
☀️PHOTOGRAPHY
If you haven’t seen my reel on this yet, click here!
Journaling
The creative process of writing is a vulnerable and freeing form of self expression. It encourages a space for negative thoughts and a place to express emotions that we tend to internalize.
The great thing about journaling is you don’t have to be a “good” writer. Who cares if you don’t know how to spell a word or have proper grammar? It doesn’t even need to make sense to anyone but you. And if it doesn’t even make sense to you, that’s okay! Trust me, I’ve been there.
Sometimes there are things we want to say but are too afraid to say it out loud, or it might not be appropriate. Writing things down on paper (or typing, if that’s your preference) is a great way to get what you need to get out so you can keep your head space free of any potential negative thoughts. Or even if you have good things to write, you can come back to them later to read to help up-lift yourself.
Some easy suggestions for journaling are:
- keep scrap paper to write negative thoughts down on and then throw it away or burn it.
- keep separate journals for positive and negative thoughts.
- write down your dreams! Our dreams can often be very telling, so if you do remember them, try your best to write them down. They don’t need to be very detailed (because sometimes dreams are super vague), but try to take note of key details like numbers, colors, animals, and specific people.
Coloring
If you don’t already own an adult coloring book, I highly recommend investing in one! Even if you rarely use it, it’s at least there for when you feel the creative urge to do something. Here’s a great one that anyone can use.
Coloring relaxes your brain and improves brain function, motor skills, sleep, and focus. It’s also a great way to reduce anxiety and relieve stress.
For every desk job that I’ve had, I always kept a back of colored pencils and an adult coloring in my desk drawer. Sometimes when things just seemed to get a little out of control it was a fun way to just take my mind off of work for a little bit!
If you’re new to coloring (or just haven’t colored since you were a kid) it’s good to start with a book that’s not very complicated, or that has images that you can easy pick colors for. But for some it could be easier to have patters that are unrecognizable that you don’t have to really think about what exactly you’re coloring (like a mandala!).
When coloring unidentifiable images, I suggest just picking a handful of colors that make you feel good. See how they look to get her and what emotion you feel when you’ve finished. It’s fun to see how different one picture can be from the next one you do, or how similar they are.
Observing Art
Sometimes just by simply viewing a work of art can improve your thinking and empathy. It can even hep you mimic the physical sensation of falling in love.
Take looking at a picture of a puppy for example. Most people when they see a picture of a puppy they get an immediate sense of awe. You can’t help but smile and just imagine the softness of their fur, and the smell of their cute puppy breath (you know what I’m talking about!). Artwork can do the same thing — especially if it’s a cute puppy painting or drawing.
If a still image isn’t enough, some artists are really great about recording their artistic process so you can see a final image come to life. I’m not so good at remembering to record my process, but I do love watching others processes!
But if just looking at a still image can catch your attention, you’re on the path to a therapeutic experience. If you find yourself walking through a museum and have the opportunity to sit on a chair or bench in front of a piece of art that you’re drawn to, just think and mediate on it for a while. Observe the brushstrokes, the detail, find the layers in the paint, the stitching in the material, and see how every fine detail can become a whole work of art.
There’s no standard set of time to make this work, but just long enough to let the artwork speak for itself. Does the artwork remind you of anything or anyone? Does it give you a nostalgic feeling? Does it give you ideas, inspiration, or a sense of hope or joy? Just by simply looking at art, you can experience all of this and more.
Music & Movement
This form of art therapy can be done individually or with others. Either way is extremely beneficial! Some may start in just a private setting to first get more comfortable with themselves, but some might feel like having guidance from the start is a stronger approach for their needs. Whichever you choose is the right one if it makes you feel better.
In a group setting it can boost social skills, in addition to when privately it can encourage self awareness, self expression, and confidence.
Music and movement are rightfully their own methods of therapy, but I'm pairing the two for this post. Music alone increases serotonin, which is the neurotransmitter that is responsible for putting you in a good mood (even if it's sad music, it can just help you release that emotion). Aristotle believed that music has the power to purify emotions
Movement, especially in a group, deals with two fundamental aspects: self-expression and relating to others. It requires the acceptance of oneself, one's body, and one's identity. Feeling free to be yourself and move as you wish is brave and, ultimately, fulfilling.
Photography
And last, but not least, photography! This is an art to not be overlooked. Especially since anyone can call themselves a photographer with the fancy smartphone cameras. It can be that simple! No need to spend hundreds of dollars on a camera when you can use your phone phone to achieve the therapeutic benefits of this art. By taking pictures, we reconnect with the world and learn to understand it. We also learn a lot about ourselves and our perception of the world, which can also improve well-being.
Photography allows you to detach from otherworld stresses and view life around us in different ways and with different eyes (through a lens). As we see the world naturally may seem scary and chaotic. But when you take a picture and look at life frozen in time, you can see the stillness and take a moment to really see what's going on. It allows time to slow down.
So, what do you think?
Comment below and tell me your thoughts! Which one is your favorite? Which one would you try? I’d love to know, and I’m happy to answer at questions.