An Intro to Art Therapy: How Can You Use Art to Reduce Stress?
What better way to introduce art therapy than to share my own pieces? 🎨
Art as good medicine:
• Did you know that the ability to create art remains after a person is no longer able to speak? 🗣️
• Did you know that creating visual art can reduce stress and induce relaxation? 🧠
• A study conducted at the Mayo Clinic revealed that adults over the age of 70 who participated in art projects had a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment in comparison to adults who read books. 📚
My personal experience with art therapy:
Painting 1️⃣: Where it all began. When I look at this photo I can see the anxiety, the anger, the chaos. I was experiencing so many emotions with no clear path on how to solve them. I was in the midst of focusing on bettering my brain and my life.
Painting 2️⃣: This was about a month after my first painting. Though it is less chaotic, there was still a lot of sadness and confusion. However, my thoughts and feelings were more cohesive.
Painting 3️⃣: My painting results after three months. 🤗 I was blown away with the colors I chose and how the entire piece flows well together. I felt free of things that were holding me back and I had learned to use art as an outlet for my emotions.
My take? I say sculpt, draw, paint - simply get creative and keep your mind learning! Since this experience I have tried to incorporate art and creativity back into my life. Any time I give myself time to be creative, I can directly see the positive impacts on my stress and overall well-being.
What is your favorite art media? 🎨
Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/mental-health/the-healing-power-of-art