The Benefits of Perinatal Art Therapy
"Perinatal" is the period of time from when you become pregnant and up to 1-2 years after giving birth. Art therapy can be very beneficial to women in all stages of their perinatal journey, especially if they’re experiencing mental health issues.
Hear from Sage House Therapy clinician Kelley Kuchinov, MA, ATR-BC on the warning signs of perinatal and postpartum mental health issues, how art therapy can help alleviate those symptoms, and specific art therapy exercises to try.
How do you know if you're experiencing perinatal / pregnancy mental health issues?
Perinatal mental health issues include: Perinatal Depression, Perinatal Anxiety, Perinatal Obsessive-Compulsive, Perinatal PTDS, Perinatal Bipolar Disorder, and Postpartum Psychosis. Treating perinatal mental health conditions may help prevent long-term and adverse effects on parents, children and families.
Most commonly women experience varying intensities of depression and anxiety in the perinatal period.
A woman may experience any of the following symptoms:
A persistent sad, anxious or "empty" mood
Irritability
Isolation
Difficulty dealing with day-to-day tasks
Feeling guilty, worthless, hopeless, or helpless
Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies or activities
Fatigue or abnormal decrease in energy
Feeling restless or having trouble sitting still
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
Difficulty sleeping (even when the baby is sleeping), awakening early in the morning, or oversleeping
Trouble bonding or forming an emotional attachment with the new baby
Persistent fears about childbirth or doubts about the ability to care for the new baby
Thoughts about death, suicide, or harming oneself or the baby
How can art therapy help women throughout their pregnancy and after?
I support women moving through the challenging (and exciting) phases of conception, pregnancy, childbirth, the transition to motherhood and thereafter.
Art therapy can help by:
Providing a relaxed, safe, non-judgmental space to share, create and grow
Offering kinesthetic qualities of artmaking that can subdue emotional distress
Regulating attachment with fetus during pregnancy and baby post-delivery through sensory experiences
Containing worries or fears
Being a form of practicing mindfulness, feeling connected to the present and (re)discovering joy and peace
Challenging perfectionistic tendencies, reducing cognitive distortions or "all or nothing" thinking
Practicing self-acceptance and flexible thinking
Nurturing the Nurturer
Helping develop insight and meaning about the self, relationships and the world
Giving space to recount personal adverse experiences of being parented and to process what is recalled, encourage interpersonal repair and create positive moments of mother-baby connections
Promoting resiliency and resourcefulness
Releasing stress and anxiety and develop self-soothing techniques
Instilling a sense of hope for the future
Forming new identity in motherhood
What are some specific art therapy exercises pregnant/postpartum women can try?
Art therapy activities for expecting and new mothers:
Positive Affirmation Pregnancy Cards - keep them short and sweet
Self-Portrait in Pregnancy/Motherhood - abstract, symbolic or realistic
Paint to Music - a self-soothing and multisensory experience
Free Art - explore materials and experience play!
Many others to explore with the support and guidance of a trained art therapist
Other creative ideas or crafts include:
Making a Belly Cast - to capture, honor and celebrate fertility and the body
Ultrasound collage
Knitting, Crochet, Needlepoint
DIY Mobile for Crib
Enjoy this quote (one of Kelley’s favorites) from a well-known art therapist:
“Images are the midwives between experience and language. The miracle of image making is that it helps birth a story that holds countless memories and emotions” Malchiodi, C. (2002) The Soul’s Palette: Drawing on Art’s Transformative Powers for Health and Well-Being, Shambala, pg. 24.
If you or someone you love is experiencing perinatal mental health issues , please reach out to us. Our team of therapists is here to provide support and guidance. We look forward to connecting with you.
