Arts as a Wellness Practice
by Christina Wright, Social Emotional Arts Facilitator
Learn to engage in creative play as a daily wellness practice to awaken and ignite your inner artist, contributing to physical,
mental and emotional wellness.
"Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time"
-Thomas Merton
Remember when we were kids and we’d see a table full of colorful goodies! Colored markers, paints, watercolors, stamps, paper, glitter and play-dough, oh my! We couldn’t wait to get whatever our little hands could grab a hold of so we could start to create whatever our hearts desired!
Where did that inner artist of ours go?
As an arts educator, a recurring sentiment I often hear initially from clients I work with is “I’m not an Artist, so I can’t create art.” For many of us, as we aged from year to year, our inner artist, who was born to engage in creative play, somehow got locked away. Those moments when making art was full of happiness and joy, where we felt free from constraint and fully expressive artistically, gradually faded. We developed the notion that art was about technique only and that if we struggled to develop that technique or found moments when our creative juices just didn’t seem to be flowing, it meant the arts wasn’t for us.
There are two very common myths about engaging in art:
You have to be doing art professionally to be considered a real artist.
You are either born with talent or you are not.
My bold audacious response to all of these myths is this: We are all born with an innate desire to express ourselves and art encompasses a wider range of activities than we might imagine. Art is a tool that anyone can use on their own, at home or at work! Because EVERYONE is inherently an artist!
At Bauman Wellness we view art as a process - a mindful and emotional non-linear journey that opens consciousness, bringing self-awareness. Art awakens our innate creativity and fosters positive transformation.
The arts offer an evidence-based solution for our overall mental health and wellness, resulting in trauma-focused healing. Engagement with the arts has been proven to decrease feelings of loneliness and increase our mental and physical health. Creating art relieves stress, encourages creative thinking and increases brain plasticity. In fact, data suggests “people who have spent 30 minutes or more each day on arts activities like reading for pleasure, listening to music, or engaging in a creative hobby have lower reported rates of depression and anxiety and greater life satisfaction.”
In their research of the arts most often used as a tool for wellness, Heather L. Stuckey, D.Ed. and Jeremy Nobel, MD, MPH, Founder of The Foundation for Arts and Healing, found four primary creative therapies: music engagement, visual arts therapy, movement-based creative expression and expressive writing.
Here are some of my favorite practices within each of these areas. Health professionals will also find these as helpful tools for their clients.
Music
“Music therapy has been shown to decrease anxiety. The pleasure shared by participants in the healing process through a music therapy program can help to restore emotional balance as well. There is also evidence of the effectiveness of auditory stimulation, together with a strong suggestion that such stimulation abolishes pain, as a strategy for achieving control over pain.” (Stuckey and Nobel)
Practice: Is there a song which has deep personal meaning to you or evokes a certain level of emotion? Hit the play button, close your eyes and listen to that song. Be fully present with whatever comes up - joy, sadness, anger, relief - without any judgment. When the song is over, reflect on your experience. Journal your thoughts or talk with a friend if that is helpful. Is the song allowing you to let go of something, or perhaps communicating something you need to hear?
Visual Arts
“Art helps people express experiences that are too difficult to put into words. In particular, molding clay can be a powerful way to help people express these feelings through tactile involvement at a somatic level, as well as to facilitate verbal communication and cathartic release and reveal unconscious materials and symbols that cannot be expressed through words.” (Stuckey and Nobel)
Practice: Gather supplies, such as paper, markers, paint, scissors, glue, clay, etc. Then use these supplies to create an image you feel moved to express. When you complete your image, take a full minute to look at it and take it in. Assess what the image is speaking and reflect on what your response is in return.
Movement
“Through the movement of mind and body in a creative way, stress and anxiety can be relieved, and other health benefits can be achieved as well. Those given theater training exhibit word and listening recall, problem solving, self-esteem, and psychological well-being.” (Stuckey and Nobel)
Practice: Clear an empty space and start moving freely around. Choose whatever walking pace feels comfortable in the moment and move your feet, legs, hands, arms, hips and head, however feels right. What are you noticing about each area of your body you are moving? Is there tension or flexibility? A feeling of confinement or a feeling of freedom? Ask each area of your body - What are you trying to tell me and what do you need from me right now?
Writing
“Expressive writing can improve control over pain, depressed mood, and pain severity.” Studies have shown that “individuals who have written about their own traumatic experiences exhibit statistically significant improvements in various measures of physical health, reductions in visits to physicians and better immune system functioning.” (Stuckey and Nobel)
Practice: Grab a journal or piece of paper and do some freeform expressive writing. What are you feeling moved to create - a poem, song lyrics, or just a stream of consciousness releasing whatever is on your mind? Reflect on what is coming up in your writing. Is it a reflection of your dreams and desires? Is it reflecting pain or anxiety? Decide whether your writing is prompting a call to action. What is it advising as to your next steps?
We all have an inner artist and we deserve the time and the space to create, which in turn enhances our mental health and wellness. Let’s go back to that time when we allowed ourselves to be truly creative and satisfied!
Remember to let your inner artist out to play!
Be Well -
Christina
