• About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Write for us
  • Contact
  • Terms of service
No Result
View All Result
Monday, March 8, 2021
THE MILLENNIAL SOURCE
  • World
  • US
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Profiles
  • Lifestyle
    • Food & Travel
    • Tech & Money
    • Health
    • Entertainment
  • Newsletter
TMS
No Result
View All Result
Home Lifestyle

Art therapy activities to improve your mental well-being

bySarah Rodrigues
October 28, 2020
in Lifestyle
Reading Time: 5 minute read
Art therapy activities

Source: Pexels, JTMultimedia

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin



There is a saying that “a picture paints a thousand words.” For art therapists like Leah Guzman, art can mean and provide a lot more. “With guided support, such as art therapy, you can learn to cope with traumatizing events that are happening now or have happened in the past,” she explains. With the COVID-19 pandemic encouraging us to practice social distancing and remain in our homes, self-care has become an integral part of our routines. 

Aside from reading, meditating or engaging in other indoor activities as simple as having a bubble bath, art therapy is a beneficial self-care activity to add to your quarantine routine. Art therapy does not require artistic abilities, rather it intends for the artist to find peace and tranquillity through their creative process. To help you take your artistic expression to a therapeutic level, we’ve compiled a few art therapy activities to improve your mental well-being while you are spending extra time indoors at home.

The self-care box 

View this post on Instagram

Little example of what you may find in one of my Pick Me Up boxes 😌 can include a gift note and be sent straight to your recipient too ✨ Etsy shop link is in my bio ✨ #art #artist #artismytherapy #illustration #illustrator #positivity #mentalhealthbox #mentalhealth #recovery #pickmeup #selfcare #selflove #selfcarebox #etsyseller #etsymanchester #carepackage #handmade #positivitygift

A post shared by Liv Kay Collins (she/her) 🎨 (@artismytherapy) on Mar 9, 2020 at 11:33am PDT

Creating a “self-care box” is a simple activity that can be particularly useful in times of distress. It is comforting to have handy a box of small trinkets or personal mementos that evoke positive affirmations and inspiration. You can create a personalized box using cardboard, or even purchase an inexpensive wooden box from any arts and crafts store. 

Decorate your box to reflect your own ideas of self-care. These can be in the form of positive affirmations or quotes that you write on the box itself or pieces of paper which are folded and placed inside the box to read when feeling down. Use the box also for items that evoke peace and comfort such as pictures of friends or family, postcards, crystals, clips of quotes or poetry, or even treasured jewelry. You can also leave items like face masks or stress balls in the box to be used when you feel drained and in need of relaxation. 

Feeling wheel 

View this post on Instagram

This feeling wheel is everything! We experience a multitude of feelings throughout the day, throughout our lives. There is complexity in feelings, we don’t just feeling “happy, angry, sad”- those are secondary emotions. Adding depth to what we feel encourages us to explore our emotional processes even further. #feelings #feelingwheel #counseling #mentalhealth #emotionalhealth #emotionalgrowth #emotions #selflove #anger #happiness #talktherapy #feelit

A post shared by Stark County TASC Inc. (@starkcountytasc) on Oct 22, 2020 at 8:50am PDT

When dealing with a lot of emotions, it’s not always easy to compartmentalize. Recognizing and labeling your feelings is often the initial step to coping with them. Making a “feeling wheel” is a practical activity for those who want to be more in touch with their emotions. 

You can begin by drawing a circle and dividing it into eight sections. Then write one of your own emotions in each section. Finally, using any materials you have available – like colored pencils, paints or fabric – pick a color that reflects that feeling and fill in the section. In her book “Essential Art Therapy Exercises,” Leah Guzman recommends considering the following: 

“Which feeling is written down first? Which feelings are currently being experienced? Are there more positive or negative emotions on your feeling wheel?”

Response art 

View this post on Instagram

#collageoutofthebox Collage series #016 #collageseries #responseart #cardboard #outofthebox #arttherapistart

A post shared by Arts Psychotherapies UK (@arts_psychotherapies_uk) on Oct 25, 2020 at 6:36am PDT

Most people have a specific quote, poem, passage or song lyric that is meaningful or sentimental to them. For this therapeutic activity, choose a phrase that resonates with you and make it the basis of your creative process. Respond to it however you desire, whether that be through doodling, coloring with colored pencils or pastels or using watercolor paints or clay. The objective is to make physical your emotional response to the words. 

As you create, Debroah Farber, a member of the Art Therapy Practice advisory board, encourages that you consider the following: 

“What about the prompt is inspiring? How do you feel as you create the art? What are you intending to capture?” 

Nature art 

View this post on Instagram

Ich liebe den Herbst 🤩 #nature #naturephotography #instanature #instagramnature #naturelife #naturel #naturelovers #naturepic #natureshots #naturekind #natureatmosphere #natureofinstagram #naturegram #natureart #natureporn #natureheals #naturebeauty #naturepictures #naturephotos #naturetime #naturepage #naturepost #natureaddict #natureperfection #natureseekers #landscape #naturecontent #naturephotograph #naturefeel #naturevibes

A post shared by Fotografie Sascha Egerland (@fotografiesaschaegerland) on Oct 24, 2020 at 3:08pm PDT

Using nature in your art therapy is a creative solution to bring the outdoors inside during the quarantine. Head outdoors – safely with a mask, of course – whether that be to a nature trail, rocky mountains or a beach. Collect items that you find interesting. This can be leaves, sticks, flowers, rocks, shells or other found objects. After returning home, you can use the collection of found objects to create a sculpture or ornament. 

For a more digital art therapy option, you can take a nature photo walk instead, which can be through nature books or even the internet. Instead of collecting materials, you can create art by saving pictures which provoke inspiration, interest or any other emotion. Finally, use the collected photos to create a digital collage or save the images in a folder to refer to when in need of a moment of tranquillity. Throughout your artistic process – whether physical or digital – consider the following:

“What do the materials or images feel or look like? What is captivating about the materials or images you have chosen?”

Life during the pandemic can be especially stressful, but these art therapy activities may be just what you are looking for to expand your creative expression while getting in tune with your feelings.

Have a tip or story? Get in touch with our reporters at [email protected]

Like TMS? Subscribe to our free daily newsletter

Related

Tags: HealthLifestyle
ShareTweetShare

Latest Posts

Spring 2021 events in Atlanta

Cultural can’t-miss Spring 2021 events in Atlanta

March 5, 2021
Black-owned independent bookstores

Black-owned independent bookstores in California

March 5, 2021
Quick and easy Indian meals

Quick and easy Indian meals to try during lockdown

March 5, 2021

Netflix to spend US$500 million to crack the Asian market

March 4, 2021

The best parks in Hong Kong to see cherry blossoms

March 4, 2021

Historic San Francisco restaurants you must visit

March 4, 2021

Black-owned bakeries in Atlanta for sweets and other treats

March 4, 2021

Atlanta Black-owned businesses for relaxation and wellness

March 3, 2021

A guide to help you stay at home in California (without losing your mind!)

March 3, 2021
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Write for us
  • Contact
  • Terms of service

© 2020 The Millennial Source Ltd.

No Result
View All Result
  • World
  • US
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Profiles
  • Lifestyle
    • Food & Travel
    • Tech & Money
    • Health
    • Entertainment
  • Newsletter

© 2020 The Millennial Source Ltd.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

The Millennial Source
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.