How to Survive Stress and Social Isolation Using Art Therapy

COVID-19 and the flu season have given birth to a new lesser-known pandemic-The mental health crisis.  While I do not know the exact numbers about the rise of mental health conditions during this pandemic, I do know first-hand, working with a very diverse group of mental health professionals and clients, that people are desperately looking for ways to cope with the excess amounts of time, social isolation and the loneliness that entails.  

Art therapy is an interesting field of mental health care that is based on the premise that expressing yourself creatively can enhance well-being and promote emotional healing. It can also boost self-awareness.

Plenty of research has been done on art therapy and the scientific evidence that suggests creating art has cognitive benefits. The practice of utilizing various forms of art or treating patients with mental health disorders with art-related activities, can reduce stress and anxiety while also bringing significant improvements in the symptoms of age-related disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Whether you plan to paint, draw or just scribble, it has the potential to stimulate your happy hormones and neuro transmitters situated within the brain.

While there are licensed art therapists, you can do many of the same art therapy exercises at home that you would do in a clinical setting.

Benefits of art therapy

1. Art therapy has been extensively used and suggested in the treatment of major mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and at times, even phobias.
2. Art has been used in self-discovery; to help clients understand and acknowledge thoughts and feelings that might have been hidden in the sub-conscious.
3.  Art has been used to help clients discover and acknowledge thoughts and feelings that may be hidden deep within the sub-conscious.
4.  It is one of the effective tools that helps in managing stress, controlling emotions and behaviors, and improving self-esteem.
5.  It also provides a healthy outlet to express and let go negative emotions and phobias.
6. Most important of all, art activities when done as a family, can create unique bonding experiences and healthy relationships.

15 Art Therapy Exercises You Can Do at Home

You don’t have to be a great artist to receive the benefits of art therapy. Anyone can draw, paint, color, sculpt, or create a collage. It’s true that some can do these things better than others, but skill is irrelevant in art therapy. The act of creating is what’s important.

Try these art therapy activities with your family:

1. Create sock puppets and put on a play. Making a couple of sock puppets will put a smile on anyone’s face. You can act out a scene from your life. Maybe you want to re-enact a fight you had with your spouse. Or help a child vent their frustrations related to a bullying incident.
   

1. Create a sculpture that matches your mood. Get your hands on some clay or Play-Doh and let your imagination run wild. Feeling anxious? Create a sculpture that represents that feeling. Dealing with some rage? See what ideas you have for representing rage with clay.

Playing with clay is a wholesome body experience and encourages both large and fine motor development especially for the children and young adults.  It allows for expression of thoughts, feelings and emotions in an appropriate manner.

3. Make a collage with photographs that you love. Go through your old photos and make copies of some of your favorites. Create a collage that exemplifies the emotions that those photographs stimulate in you.  That way you will have all your happy memories combined in one happy place.

On a similar note; focus on your current mood.  Is there uncontrollable rage or bitterness?  Frustration at being let down again?  Loneliness?  Express yourself through a painting that represents your current state of mind. When you’re finished, cut or tear it up. Feel the relief you feel from the very act of tearing up your negative emotion.

Then use the torn pieces as a building block for a new artwork — a collage. Let it represent beginning of something new for you.  Beginnings of a new life or a new state of being. Let your imagination run wild and allow your original artwork to transform into something new and exciting, something totally unpredictable. This activity enhances your understanding, giving you a new of the invisible link between creation and destruction, encouraging you to take risks to push you in other aspects of life.

4. Draw a picture that represents utopia to you. What is your version of a perfect life or a perfect world? Draw it. What makes it so perfect for you?

Sit in a quiet place and close your eyes. Take some deep breadths while you visualize a perfect life, the lines, the patterns and the designs. Try to imagine your breath as a particular color as it enters your body, another color as it exits. What do you see? Draw an outline on a sheet of paper.  Let this be the most relaxing self-portrait you’ll ever create.

5. Create a painting that represents your childhood. What are the most important moments of your childhood? Will you include only positive memories? What were the things that brought you joy?  What were the activities that brought peace?

As you ponder over them, think of all those hurtful moments and negative events that occurred. Do not be afraid to get your hands dirty and deal with the negative events, too, if that will set you free.  Just go ahead, dip your fingers in some random colors and paints, and see what you give birth to?  Colors have the ability to heal.  Let go of yourself in this activity until to begin to feel peace.

On a similar note; you do not have to limit your canvas to just paper or cardboard.  you may also think of chalk painting or drawing on your driveway.  Write your favorite quotes or inspiring lines.  Draw patterns and things that hold a deep meaning in your heart.

6. Draw or paint your negative and positive traits. Consider your negative traits and find a way to represent them in a piece of art.  Do the same with your positive traits.
   
7. Design a letter or a postcard that you will never send.   This works in the same way as journaling does.  Only difference being, here you let loose your creativity.  Dealing with negative or hurt feelings.  Express yourself through art, a drawing, a collage, a postcard/greeting card or simply a depictive letter.  Rant as much as you want.  Then tear it apart.  One of my friends actually designed a creative resignation letter when she decided to let go of a toxic work environment.  She designed a ‘Sorry for your loss” handmade card.  Upon opening it, the inside of it said” Hi, (With a smiley emoji) it’s me.  I am your loss.  I quit”.  Of course, she never sent it.  Just kept it as a reminder of the time when she prioritized her mental health over her financial security
   
8. Make a flag with a motto that represents your intentions. What motto would you put on a flag that best describes your intention in life?
   
   1. Power?
   2. Sacrifice?
   3. Peace on Earth?
   4. Love?
   5. Domination?

9. Make a dreamcatcher and find a place to hang it in your room. If you don’t know what a dreamcatcher looks like, look it up online. Create your own version of a dreamcatcher and put it in an appropriate place.
   
10. Draw a scene from one of your nightmares. Since we’re on the subject of sleep and dreams, recreate a scene from a recent bad dream. If you haven’t tried your hand at drawing lately, now would be a good time.
    
11. Build an altar. Create an altar that is unique to you and will help you to connect fully with your spiritual side.  Cut out words of inspiration or consolation from your Holy Book and put them in a prominent place.  Read them out aloud and let them sink deep within.

If you are not too spiritual, create your own version of an altar, giving a prominent place for something or someone you love or miss.  Are you grieving the loss of a loved one?  Or separation from a childhood friend?  Pick a place in your house to honor the memory of the person.  Fill it with photographs, pictures, relics or letters or anything that reminds you of times spent together.  Make this your happy space, the place you can go to for comfort or relaxation.

12. Create a map of all the personal connections in your life. Put yourself in the center and diagram all of the relationships you have. Compare that to all the relationships you had 10 years ago. What’s changed?
    
    
13. Create a website. There are plenty of places to create a free website, such as www.wordpress.com. Build a website that represents your interests.
    
    
14. Paint a rock. List your values on the rock and put it where you can see it each day.
    
    
15. Use and try different forms of art. Heard of origami?  It is an excellent creative outlet that is extensively recommended and anyone can use it to help reduce stress generated by life challenges such as exhausting work schedules, or demanding family circumstances. It engages both, the right and left sides of the brain and helps shift our focus from our negative circumstances while shifting our focus on the present.  In children, it enables schematic learning through repeated actions leading to improved concentration and self-confidence.  Try making this a weekend family activity, start with easy to fold models initially; focusing on the process and the lovely geometries found in each step.

Similarly, Zentangles are another source of creative outlets, which are created with repetitive patterns and are meant to be abstract. Zectangles encourage mindfulness, intuitive thinking, and empowerment.  In addition, those who practice this art endorse feeling improved self-confidence, relieved stress and anxiety, improved eye-hand coordination, nurtured creativity and the list goes on.

Art therapy is a gift that you can give yourself. Pick one exercise and give it a try. Experiment and see what happens. These 15 exercises are just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds more for you to discover.