Stress relief through art therapy
Much has been written in recent years about the healing benefits of art therapy and serious stress-related illnesses. Once considered a useless waste of time, art therapy is making headlines with its undeniable success rates among people suffering from various disorders. However, anyone dealing with varying degrees of stress can benefit from art therapy.
How does art therapy work?
* Experimenting with art in all its different forms allows you to express your feelings. For some people, this is an easy project, but for those who keep their feelings bottled up and hidden from everyone, including themselves, it is much more difficult. Reestablishing connections with the inner workings of your heart is essential to living a stress-free existence.
* Releasing pent up anger can change your mood and reduce stress levels. Using art is a wonderful way to express your feelings without the burden of finding words to represent them.
* Art allows you to rediscover your inner child. Remember what it was like not having to color inside the lines? Or when the sky could be green and the pigs purple? No? Well, you are not alone. Most adults feel obligated to follow a list of rules that only undermine the essential components of creativity. Growing up and taking responsibility can be a necessary part of growing up, but there are certain privileges children have that we can all benefit from. The freedom to express ourselves through art is one of them. Put aside the rules and just create. You may be surprised by what you see.
* Working with clay and other physical and practical media maximizes the pressure points of the hands which naturally help to release stress.
* You can get lost in art projects. Let the world’s troubles melt away as your mind refocuses on the beauty and wonder of color and texture. Art allows us to let go of the restrictions that bind us to the conformity of the world for a moment in time.
* It is easy to allow the pressures of our day to consume us. Art allows us to reflect inward and relearn something about ourselves that we might have forgotten. Even if you are the type of person who is intimidated by creativity, it is worth the personal effort to try something new. Grab a brush and start playing with color. Do you see? Take a pottery class and immerse yourself in the mess and chaos. Try your hand at abstract. Sculpt and design using scraps and materials found around the house.
Remember: there are no rules! Art therapists believe that art triggers an internal activity within us that helps heal emotional, spiritual, and even physical scars. It is a language without words, and a form of communication open to interpretation. “Art therapy is considered a mind-body intervention that can influence physiological and psychological symptoms. The experience of expressing oneself creatively can spark positive emotions and address symptoms of emotional numbing in people with PTSD.” – Josée Leclerc, professor at the Department of Creative Arts Therapies