Art is a wound turned into light.-Georges Braqu, French Painter
I am a terrible artist. Truly, if you asked me to paint you a picture of a happy family, someone may end up with a third leg. Yet, I refuse to allow my awful artistry to keep me from creating. Why? Because creativity helps me heal my heart, mind, and spirit. Playing with paint, doodling, diy-ing it allows what has hardened within to soften. It gives my mind a reprieve from racing thoughts and most importantly? It’s fun! Art, creation, and everything in between allows me to turn my wounds into light. Yet, you don’t have to take my word for it. There’s boatloads of science that attests to the power of creativity and how it supports and even improves mental health. Check it out:
Creativity Helps Us Express What Is Too Hard to Say
Heather L. Stuckey and Jeremy Nobel stated in their article, The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health that “Art helps people express experiences that are too difficult to put into words.” Recounting a traumatic experience can be incredibly challenging and may even prevent some from beginning the process of therapy. Therefore, processing with art can provide an avenue for clients that feels safer to explore. Art gives us a different and perhaps less charged access point to our emotional field, which can lead to healing.
Creativity Boosts Mental Health
According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA) article, Creative Arts: Enhancing Mental Health and Well-being participating in creative activities, like art therapy, can increase your mental health. In fact, a survey from the APA finds about half of Americans use creative actions to relieve stress. Additionally, Americans who rate their mental health as very good or excellent tend to participate in creative activities more frequently than those who rate their mental health as fair or poor.
Creativity Helps Develop The Self
In the article Creative Expression and Mental Health participating in creative activities can support a person’s sense of agency and control over their thoughts and actions, which positively supports mental health. Creative actions allow individuals to explore their ideas, experiment with different approaches, and take risks, thus creating a newfound sense of agency and self-determination. This sense of agency can enhance self-esteem, a major factor in developing a well of resilience and maintaining positive mental health. Participating in creativity has been associated with increased problem-solving skills and ability to cope with stress. Creative activities allow individuals to develop the ability to approach problems from different angles, consider new perspectives, and find helpful solutions, therefore increasing the confidence needed to overcome life’s obstacles.
Creativity Helps with Healing from Trauma
The study Trauma-Focused Art Therapy in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder suggests that art therapy is especially beneficial for survivors of prolonged or recurrent trauma. Patients in the study reported beneficial effects of art therapy that included an increase in relaxation and confidence in the future, and a reduction of intrusive thoughts related to traumatic experiences.
My own experience with art and creativity and all of the science above is why I am excited to offer two Art Therapy Groups at Still Waters Counseling in Springfield, IL. One for adults and one for children. Both groups will incorporate mindfulness exercises and art creation to support attendees' mental health. And both groups allow terrible artists like me to join! Zero art experience is necessary, just an open heart to what may be created. More details are listed below:
Adult Art Therapy Group Dates: September 11, 25, October 9, 23, and November 6th at 5:00pm-6:15pm
Kids Art Therapy Group Dates: September 18, October 2, 16, 30, and November 13th at 5:00pm-6:00pm
Cost per session: $20, supplies included
Register by emailing: Shanna.Shrum@stillwaterstherapy.org
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