Art Therapy Exercises
Art-making can be highly therapeutic. Art therapy integrates art-making and sensory experiences into a mental health setting such as personal therapy. At Sage House, we offer art therapy through all of our clinicians. Read on for more information about art therapy exercises and how to make art for therapeutic purposes at home.
What is art therapy?
Art Therapy is a mental health profession that enriches the lives of individuals of all ages (including adults), families, couples and communities through the process of art making, creativity, psychology and the human experience. The healing process of art therapy takes place within the same psychotherapeutic relationship as traditional talk therapy. Art Therapy is facilitated by a trained Art Therapist who is a professional with a Master’s level degree and either licensure or board certification in art therapy. Art Therapists have a vast knowledge of how to safely utilize and manage the art content clients create in sessions.
Exercises you can try at home
While art therapy is done in a professional mental health setting, there are many therapeutic art activities you can try at home. These exercises can provide a form of expression or an outlet for your feelings. Engaging in the creative process can be therapeutic, reduce stress, and encourage personal growth. Take some time and try out one of the following activities:
Paint to music. Practice focusing on what you’re feeling or thinking while listening to music. This can help you express pent-up feelings and can also help you relax. If you want, try using alternatives to paint brushes to apply paint to paper, like q-tips, cotton balls, your fingers, sponges, a feather, etc. This can help you have a more sensory and process-oriented experience.
Draw your safe space. Life can be scary sometimes. Think about a space you feel safe in and draw an image of it. Think about how it looks, sounds, smells, and feels. You could even make an image of a new, safe home for yourself. Think about this place next time you are feeling fearful.
Make a collage about who you want to be. Using old magazines, create a future self-portrait. This can involve specific goals you have for yourself, like owning a certain type of car or living in a specific place. Use imagery to portray any way you want to see yourself in the future, whether it’s different or similar to how you are today. Who do you want to be in the future?
Make an image of things you’re grateful for. Use whatever medium you like to make an image of things you are thankful for. You can pick a specific number of things, like three or ten. Or you can simply start and see how many different things come up.
Decorate the front of your journal. Do you like to journal or want to start? Try decorating the front of your journal. This could inspire you to engage in journaling more, or might be another form of self-expression.
Make an affirmation card deck. Have you ever tried using affirmations? Affirmations can boost mood, self-esteem, confidence, and help develop your identity. They may seem awkward at first but many people find them incredibly powerful. If you need help picking out some affirmations, look here. Then write your affirmations on cards to keep on your desk, by your bed, or wherever you need them most. You can decorate the cards as well.
Color a mandala. Coloring mandalas can help reduce stress and lessen anxiety. Your local bookstore might have a mandala coloring book. You can also print off free mandalas for coloring. Additionally, you may also enjoy online mandala coloring.
Draw a zentangle. Have you heard of Zentangle? It’s a semi-structured way to doodle that promotes mindfulness and relaxation. Though it takes a minute to learn, it’s fairly simple once you get the hang of it. Some people really love it, and if you’re interested, check out a couple of different tutorials here and here. You can also lookup how to Zentangle on YouTube.
Make a nature mandala. Do you find being in nature relaxing and grounding? Next time you go for a nature walk, gather some natural items and make a nature mandala. Check out this instagram for inspiration.
Make a sculpture of your spirit animal. Using clay, wires, paper mâché, sticks and leaves, or whatever you have, sculpt your spirit animal. Your spirit animal can represent your strengths and challenges. You can also sculpt your totem animal, which can represent whatever you need due to what you are going through this year.
Are you looking for more support for yourself or your loved one? Are you interested in art therapy? Please reach out to us. Our team of therapists is here to provide support and guidance. We look forward to connecting with you.
