Art Therapy Ideas

This post about art therapy ideas is by no means meant to replace the help of a licensed art therapist. If you are in a situation that requires professional help, please seek that help.

(Photo Credit: 123RF.com Image ID: 41669943 Copyright: Алена Марусева)

This type of art therapy is meant more for the day to day stresses or the occasional upheaval we all experience in our lives. People turn to different methods to release stress or deal with heartache. Some people turn to exercise and others journaling. Others express themselves through dance or work through their tough times via meditation. Some don’t deal with it at all and just bottle it up.

By now, we all know that the latter is neither good nor healthy. So, in addition to some of the other methods mentioned, let’s look at some art therapy ideas. Art therapy isn’t meant for only artists. Art therapy has helped people of all walks of life and from all backgrounds. It has been used to help treat PTSD, abuse, and other traumatic events. On a personal level, you shouldn’t worry about not being an artist or creative. All that is required is that you are experiencing troubling times that require an outlet. These ideas are suggested for situations, which I’d call not as ‘severe’ as PTSD or abuse, but do cause turmoil in your life. A breakup, harassment at work, discrimination, and the like.

But what if it isn’t perfect?

It’s not meant to be. The process of expressing yourself through art is about purging emotional energy. It’s not meant to hang in the Louvre. In fact, in most cases, people who regularly turn to art therapy, keep these artworks very private. So, all trepidations aside, here are three simple art therapy ideas to get you started.

Adult coloring books.

This one is probably the easiest for non-artsy types. It’s literally a coloring book and by now, we all have the ability to stay inside the lines. They come in a vast array of topics. You can find mandala coloring books, animals, gardens, fantasy topics, and even superhero coloring books. The simple act of coloring allows the mind to relax into a simple, benign activity. You might find your thoughts wandering to the issue you’re dealing with and that’s okay. As you’re coloring, allow your mind to go wherever it wants. You may even discover that it begins to sort things out all on its own. In any event, the act of coloring gives you at least a few moments to relax.

Design a postcard you’ll never send.

Designing a postcard you never plan on sending is an effective method of art therapy. You can literally tell a person off and then destroy it. (Photo Credit: Myra Naito)

If your turmoil is based on something someone did or said to you, this is a powerful one. Sometimes you know in your heart that discussion with this person is pointless and will only lead to more of the same. In those cases, design a postcard to that person. It can be a combination of images and words. Purge your feelings and hold nothing back. This can include things you’d never say face to face. You can do that here. You’re allowed. Now when you’re done, you have a choice. You can lock it away somewhere and forget about it. Or you can:

• • • Bury it
    • Burn it (safely)
    • Run it through a paper shredder
    • Fold it up, stick it in a lemon, wrap it up, and shove it into the back of your freezer and forget about it (advice given to me by an elderly Italian woman)
    • Any other method you like (be creative)

Messy art.

You might need a drop cloth for this one. You can go Jackson Pollock on this one. Messy art means MESSY! Fling paint to your heart’s content at a canvas, piece of wood, etc. You can dunk your hands in paint and fling it, soak the bristles of a brush in paint and fling it, or soak a sponge in paint and throw that at your canvas. It also doesn’t need to be paint. Some have used charcoal and used their hands to smear that black powder across a large sketchpad, added to it with charcoal pencils or sticks, and then used an eraser or cloth to take some away and add detail. Just be sure to cover furniture or the walls, etc. or it might end up looking like an art bomb went off.

These three art therapy ideas might be simple, but their effects are profound.

There’s something there for the more subdued, who just want to immerse themselves in quiet activity. There’s something for the opposite end of the scale where full body action is involved with the throwing and flinging. And there’s something in between which happens to be a bit more symbolic.

The point is, you don’t have to stay stuck in your emotions, stress, and anxiety. Work it out in a creative way that can help you maneuver through tough times relatively unscathed.

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