Can art be a tool for stress relief?

Can art be a tool for stress relief?

Stress is an inevitable aspect of life. Whether its day-to-day stressors, relationship or family problems or the uncertainty of a global pandemic like Covid-19, stress and struggle is something each and every one of us can relate to. It’s no secret that stress can have significant negative effects on our health and wellbeing. Fortunately, there are ways to manage stress levels and improve your life through art. Creating art can help foster a general sense of wellbeing and healing in numerous aspects of life, and can be a fantastic tool for mindfulness.

What Is Art Therapy?

Art therapy definition:

Art therapy is defined as the “application of the visual arts in a therapeutic context”.

Art therapy can provide mental and emotional relief, reduce anxiety and stress, and lead to self-discovery, increased self-esteem and confidence. It is often used in counselling sessions with a certified art therapist and is used to treat psychological disorders and mental illness in clinical settings through creative expression and analysis, using various art methods and techniques. A professional art therapist can help to analyse and decode the messages conveyed through your work and help you explore and understand these emotions and themes with therapeutic techniques, helping foster the healing process. Art therapists undertake specialised training within an art therapy course and often work in hospitals, prisons, rehabilitation centres, private counselling, and nursing homes.

Art therapy can be of benefit to all ages and skillsets. It is a means of visually expressing ideas that can’t be put into words and can help us better understand our feelings, develop new coping mechanisms and greater personal insights.

You don’t need a professional art therapist or a clinical setting to benefit from creating art. Allowing yourself to create and express your innermost feelings can be extremely empowering, freeing and healing. Creating an artwork is also a very relaxing and inspiring activity, and can also instil a wonderful feeling of self-accomplishment. Creating art also stimulates the release of dopamine, the feel-good brain chemical, making it a safe and healthy means of releasing stress and bottled-up emotions, while increasing your levels of “happy hormones”.

History of Art Therapy

Art as a vehicle for expression, communication and healing has been used for thousands of years, spanning across various cultures and continents. “Art therapy” as a term was first established in 1942 by an artist named Adrian Hill after discovering the sense of joy and relaxation generated from drawing and painting following a tuberculosis diagnosis. Art therapy then began its more mainstream use in psychological treatment in the United States and Europe during the 1940s. Other significant contributors to the field of Art therapy include Edith Kramer, Florence Cane, Hanna Kwaitkowska, Elinor Ulman and Margaret Naumburg.

How is Art Therapy used?

Art is a useful tool in self-discovery and improving mental wellbeing. It can aid in reducing feelings of isolation and can improve self-esteem. Art therapy is often used in conjunction with psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy to treat mental health conditions including:

• Children with learning difficulties or behavioural difficulties
• PTSD
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Substance abuse

Art therapy can also be used to treat psychological stress from:

• Illness’ and disease
• Relationship problems
• medical conditions

There are two different approaches to art therapy.

Directed Art Therapy:

Directed is a more structured approach to art therapy, whereby you choose an art style that specifically relates to how you want to express a particular feeling. If you are working with a therapist, they might choose an activity and medium for you and guide you through the process.

Non-directed Art Therapy:

Non-direct is a far less structured approach, where you allow yourself to create freely, without any guidelines.

Art therapy activities can include:

• Colouring in a colouring book
• Drawing your emotions
• Choosing colours that relate to a feeling and use expressive techniques to paint onto a canvas.

• Sculpting
• Drawing
• Painting
• Journaling
• Finger painting
• Collage making

Is Art Therapy backed by science?

There have been numerous studies on the benefits of art therapy that demonstrate its effectiveness.

The benefit of art therapy for Heart disease sufferers and health care professionals were explored in one 2004 study,. The study found that health professionals were better able to discern how to best approach each client’s education on their condition, by analysing the use of composition and colour in their artworks. Art therapy has also shown to be beneficial in helping improve the quality of life for cancer patients. Breast cancer patients noted an increase in positive emotions and a decrease in negative emotions. Another study found that cancer patients experienced increased self-worth, confidence, ability to express emotion, and a greater sense of joy. Trauma sufferers also saw lower stress levels and noted a greater sense of purpose. Another study from 2017 found that art helped improve self-identity and socialization for patients of a hospital, and its display also helped them feel safer. Patients also noted milder depressive symptoms when undergoing hemodialysis treatment. Other studies have shown that even colouring has tremendous health benefits at any age.

Do you need to be talented to do art?

Anyone can benefit from art therapy. “Talent” in the traditional sense is not necessary. The ultimate goal of art therapy is not to produce the next great masterpiece, but to use the art process for your own emotional exploration. Though it may feel strange at first (if you are completely new to the visual arts), over time, you will soon grow comfortable with your own creative expression. Whether you have experienced trauma, stress, addiction, mental health disorders or physical illness or disease, or just want to explore and express your creativity, art therapy can be a valuable addition to your life. Creating art can be a peaceful and freeing experience, leaving you feeling accomplished, with greater introspection, self-awareness, psychological resilience, alongside a sense of purpose and meaning. It even helps build increased neural connections in the brain. All you need for Art therapy is the tools for your chosen medium, and to be honest with your emotions, no experience or talent required!

To summarise, having a creative outlet is beneficial for chronic mental and psychical illness, stress and as a means of creative expression and communication, and for allowing both conscious and unconscious feelings to be expressed. Art shed has all the tools you need, whether its painting, drawing, sculpting, among many more mediums, to get you started on your art journey.

Got questions? Send us an email at customerservice@artshedonline.com.au and our friendly team of artists will do their best to support you!