Sometimes we may not have access to the right words to verbalize what we are going through. For instance, sometimes words just aren’t enough to express our emotions or process difficult situations. Therefore, we may need a way to slow down enough to talk about our feelings. Expressive arts can lead to healing by providing a way to do all of these things.
Still feeling unsure? Here is a simple technique for stress relief you can try from home…
Mandala Coloring Activity: Print out a mandala coloring page and grab your colored pencils, crayons, or markers. Take a few minutes before you begin to note how you are feeling and rate your stress level. Now get coloring! Choose colors that appeal to you. Above all, there’s no right or wrong. Therefore, after you have completed the activity, check in again and see if you notice any changes.
Resources: Monday Mandala. (n.d.). Our mandalas. https://mondaymandala.com/m.; Rogers, N. (1993). The creative connection: Expressive arts as healing
Want to learn more benefits? Click here for a recent NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) article on expressive arts and healing.
Grace Kavanagh was a Graduate Student Intern with the Mindly Group studying Mental Health Counseling.
