Art therapy can help people work through their feelings and even reduce the effects of stress. Many mental health programs offer art therapy to their clients as a complement to other treatments. But there are also many informal creative projects you can do on your own and get the same benefits.
Have you been feeling worse than usual when it comes to your mental health? In an era where everyone is staying home, it’s easy to feel sad, alone, or angry. It’s also more important than ever to care about your mental health. It’s easy for depression or anxiety to rear its ugly head. But you must take care of yourself and learn to cope with the symptoms. Art therapy is one powerful method of doing that.
Benefits of Art Therapy
Creativity is an integral part of being human. Painting, drawing, writing, or music can help you in many ways. Many therapists use art in professional settings to help their clients communicate and release their emotions. Here are a few ways that art therapy benefits people:
- Self-esteem: Creating something on your own is a great way to help you build self-esteem and
- Exploring Your Emotions: Creating things is an exciting way for you to channel the feelings you have into something palpable. For many people, when they are creating art, playing music, or doing other artistic tasks, it’s easy to get lost in the act of creation. Through this, you can creatively express your feelings.
- Fighting stress and anxiety: The act of creating art, you will go through the emotions and get into a sort of meditative state. (Calming music while you’re working can help you begin this process.) Letting yourself get lost in the act of creating can help you become calmer and assist in helping stress melt away.
Creative Activities You Can Do At Home
Being at home right now can be tough, but there are many ways to get away from your current situation by creating art. You may not be used to doing creative tasks, but there are plenty of ways for you to create things in your own way. Check out some of these creative activities that can serve as art therapy while you’re at home:
- If you’re new to painting, watch videos of Bob Ross and follow along. Many people with anxiety find his videos calming and reassuring. You’ll also learn how to paint clouds and trees with him. Drawing can also be fun, and all you need is a pen and paper to get started. There are a ton of videos to scroll through.
- Adult coloring books. Coloring in these books can be pretty complicated, and you’ll make each image your own.
- Decorating ceramics or birdhouses. There are tons of kids for these projects online, and you can order various craft materials such as rhinestones and feathers alongside them.
- Writing poetry. Find some online writing prompts to help you get your brain juices flowing.
There are plenty of other ways to practice art therapy at home. A therapist can give you more specific tasks to help you cope with life issues and help you elevate your mental health. The best part of art therapy is that there aren’t any rules; you can be yourself without judgment and create without worry.
If one method doesn’t work for you, try another. Everyone deserves a creative outlet.
Getting Help
Do you or somebody you love have an addiction or mental health disorder? We’re here to help support you in your journey. To learn more about what services are available and how we can help, please contact us at 949-245-9812 to learn more about how we can help you.
