Have you ever felt awesome after making something cool? That’s the power of creativity! Being creative is a big part of wellness. When you draw, paint, write, build, or make music, you’re not just having fun—you’re showing your feelings, learning about yourself, and connecting with others. Creativity can make you feel proud, confident, and joyful. These good feelings help you feel better overall.
We all need a little extra support sometimes, and therapy can be another helpful tool for feeling healthier and happier. Therapy often relies on talking, and for some, it can be difficult to express thoughts and feelings through words alone. Adding art into therapy can help people express the things that are hard to say, or when there simply aren’t the words to show how you feel.
How can using art in therapy be helpful?
Supports comfortable communication between a therapist and patient
Uses actions and imagery to share feelings and experiences
Gives you a concrete reminder about what you learned
Connects what you talk about to the art you create
Encourages creative thinking and problem-solving
Great news – art is for everyone! You do not have to be an artist or even know how to use art materials to try it out. The artwork itself is not the focus when using art in therapy – instead, the focus is on the skills learned and practiced during artmaking.
Some of the skills that can be learned, practiced, and enhanced through using art in therapy include, but are not limited to:
Mindfulness
Grounding and Self-Regulation
Emotional Regulation
Emotional Expression
Identifying and Labeling Emotions
Mood Tracking
Art creates an experience you can hold in your hand and take home with you. Creating a space in your home to display artwork can help remind you of skills you want to actively practice. It can also be helpful to store your artwork in a folder or drawer, so you can go back, review, and reflect on what you created.
Therapy and art can make a powerful pair when it comes to wellness, but art can be accessed anywhere! Think about what might work best for you.
Here are some ways to add art into your wellness journey:
Countless talented artists have used digital spaces to tap into creativity and engage others in artmaking. Many online platforms share DIY options for you to do at home. Video tutorials are a great way to learn step-by-step art skills. You can also use social media platforms to connect with other artists and view their work for inspiration.
Local community centers and businesses provide a variety of art classes. Some organizations even offer virtual options for classes.
Lots of therapists integrate art and creativity into their interventions with children, adults, and families. Ask your therapist how you can make art during your work together.
Ashley Skelly is a licensed professional art therapist and licensed professional clinical counselor. She is a clinical lead supervisor for the Behavioral Health CALL program, co-director of the Counselor Trainee program, and provides clinical services within the Early Childhood Mental Health program. Ashley also runs a weekly art therapy group for the NCH iPREP program.
Callie Ludwig, LPCC-S, LPAT
Callie Ludwig is a Licensed Professional Art Therapist and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. She is the Clinical Lead Supervisor of the Child and Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program at Nationwide Children's Hospital.
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