5 Ways Art Can Support Your Wellbeing

5 Ways Art Can Support Your Wellbeing

As a Creative Arts Therapist, I am a passionate believer in how transformative and supportive
art can be when it comes to wellbeing. Dance, painting, pottery, drama and music have been
important for my own self-exploration, self-expression and connecting with others. So much so, I
can be surprised when speaking to someone about my work and they ask “Why creative arts
therapy?”. This article aims to answer this exact question by highlighting five different ways art
can support your wellbeing.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the act of focusing on the present moment. Those who practice mindfulness
have been shown to have reduced stress levels, improved memory and experience more
positive moods (Davis & Hayes, 2012). So, how can art help you achieve a state of
mindfulness? Art-making, whether that be drawing, dancing, or another form, requires attention
and an awareness of the art processes you are involved in. Research suggests this need to
focus during art-making supports wellbeing by facilitating a flow-state, providing distance from
distractions and worries (Van Lith et al., 2013). Flow-state is a concept closely related to
mindfulness and refers to becoming entirely engrossed in an activity, dampening negative
thoughts and increasing positive mood (Tabibnia, 2020). In short, art-making requires attention
and focus, which can lead to a flow-state and improve wellbeing through increasing positive
emotions whilst suppressing negative thoughts.

TRY IT: Take note of your mood and any recurring thoughts. Next, make some art! Afterwards,
take note of your mood and see if your thoughts have changed, remain or have lessened.

Trying Something New

Another way art can support wellbeing is through trying something new. Exposure to new and
different experiences can feel intimidating, but can also provide us with a confidence boost!
Learning and practicing new skills can enhance confidence as you gain proficiency and develop
mastery. Even if you are not looking to develop skills, trying something new can be a challenge
to overcome. And overcoming challenges? That’s great for building confidence. Art can help you
with this as there are myriad artforms and techniques within each medium. You might be adept
with acrylic painting but have yet to try watercolours. Maybe you’re a great musician but haven’t
tried your hand at dance. So, trying something new can be scary, but can build confidence
through skill development, mastery and overcoming challenges. And art is the perfect vehicle for
this!

TRY IT: Try any new creative skill that speaks to you. Seek out classes, online tutorials, or
connect with someone who might be able to share some tips. Give it time as you watch your
confidence soar!

Self-expression

Have you ever wanted to get a thought or a feeling out of your mind and into the world, but
weren’t able to find the words? Art can help with that! Sometimes it can be hard to find the right
words to say to convey exactly what we mean. Other times, we know exactly what we want to
say but it can feel confronting to verbalise it. A study conducted in 2022 found those who utilised
art as a form of expression during the COVID-19 pandemic reported they were able to “purge”
worries and fears through art-making, enabling emotional regulation to occur (Chan et al.,
2022). This suggests that the process of art-making can be a vehicle for identifying and
releasing emotions by bringing them from the inner world to the outer. Unsure where to begin? I
recommend starting small and having a go at one of the options in the “Try It” section below.

TRY IT: Choose a paint colour that represents an emotion you are experiencing and allow
yourself to create different shapes. Listen to some music that captures what you are thinking or
feeling, sing along if there are lyrics. Try one pose or simple movement phrase that sums up
how you are feeling. For example, stomping feet could be an expression of anger or frustration.
Take note of how you feel before and after!

Getting to Know Yourself

Related to self-expression is understanding ourselves. It is important that we build and maintain
a relationship with ourselves as this can enhance our sense of wellbeing (Klussman et al.,
2022). In fact, some suggest a core element of art therapy is self-improvement and the ability to
use art to solidify personal values and identity (Kilpo, 2013). How can we get to know ourselves
deeply and intimately through art? Some ideas include journalling, either through writing,
drawing or collaging. You could also get theatrical and role play or script an interaction between
different parts of yourself, what they might be trying to say and what is important to them. You
could explore different movement qualities (i.e. slow, quick, sharp, soft) and how they make you
feel. Perhaps you could paint, draw or collect images that you feel represent different parts of
you, and compile these into a box. There are endless ways different artistic mediums can help
us to explore our personal journeys, helping us to discover who we are.

TRY IT: Using one of the above ideas, or another idea of your own, get to know yourself by
exploring different themes. These themes could include; values, interests, goals, personal
strengths, or challenges you’ve overcome and what you’ve learned from these. Use these
themes to guide your artistic exploration.

Connection with Others

Finally, art is a powerful medium for building and supporting connections with others. We hear
all the time about how important connection with others is — for our physical, mental and
emotional health. The Centre for Disease Control notes social connectedness can reduce the
risk of developing heart disease and dementia, whilst increasing resilience against depression
and anxiety. Social connection provides us with support that enables us to better cope with
various stressors in life. Creating art together can provide a shared experience that supports the
foundations of interpersonal connections. Dancing with others can be especially powerful for
creating connections with others as you engage and respond physically, mentally and
emotionally. Think of a ballroom dance where dancers are connected through touch, but also
through shared rhythm and movements, even when physically apart on the dance floor. Or line
dancing, where groups of people share movement, rhythm and direction en masse. As with self-
connection, art provides myriad vehicles to support interpersonal connection.

TRY IT: Attend a ballroom dance class or have a dance party with your friends, family or partner
at home. You could host a paint and sip night at home or make a playlist for someone you care
about.

So there you have it! Five ways art of all forms can support your wellbeing. From mindfulness to
confidence building, and from self-exploration and expression to connecting with others, art can
be a fantastic way to enhance your sense of wellness.

If you are interested in looking further into how art can be used to support your wellbeing, I offer
individual and group creative arts therapy sessions. You can find out more by
visiting arttherapywithabigail.com.au, emailing [email protected], or by
checking out my practice profile.

Abi Jenkins  Creative Arts Therapist

References

Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (2024, March). Social connection. U.S.
Government, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/social-
connectedness/about/index.html#:~:text=Staying%20connected%20to%20others%20creates,ag
ainst%20serious%20illness%20and%20disease.

Chan, H. W., Ignacio, A., Rebello, C., & Cupchik, G. C. (2022). The therapeutic value of creative
art-making during the Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of Gifted Education and Creativity, 9(1),
93–114. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/2288174

Davis, D. M., & Hayes, J. A. (2012). What are the benefits of mindfulness. Monitor on
Psychology, 43(7). 64. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner

Kilpo, A. M. (2013). The art of the true self: Using art therapy as a means of self-discovery
[Master’s thesis, University of Wisconsin]. https://minds.wisconsin.edu/handle/1793/67488

Klussman, K., Curtin, N., Langer, J., & Nichols, A. L. (2022). The importance of awareness,
acceptance, and alignment with the self: A framework for understanding self-
connection. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 18(1), 120–131. 10.5964/ejop.3707

Tabibnia, G. (2020). An affective neuroscience model of boosting resilience in
adults. Neuroscience and Behavioural Reviews,
115, 321–350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.05.005

Van Lith, T., Schofield, M.J., & Fenner, P. (2013). Identifying the evidence-base for art-based
practices and their potential benefit for mental health recovery: A critical review. Disability &
Rehabilitation, 35(16), 1309–1323. https://doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2012.732188