4 DIY Therapeutic Activities For February

How Can I Do Art Therapy On My Own?

This February, we invite you to do some therapeutic activities with no appointments required. One of the great things about art therapy is that it doesn’t have to stop when the appointment ends. When you have a strong prompt, and the tools to self-analyze, the therapeutic effects of art therapy can be experienced whether you’re working with a specialist or doing it yourself. 

“The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely.” – Carl Jung

Write Yourself A Valentines Card

What You’ll Need: your preferred writing implement, whether that’s a pen and paper, OR a word document OR your notes app.

What You’ll Do: Whether you are partnered, single, or anywhere in between, you deserve to express your self-love. Write to yourself (perhaps a version of yourself from the past or future), and describe the things that you would appreciate about yourself from an outsider’s perspective. It doesn’t have to be long, but you do have to be nice. What are you good at? How are you kind to others? When have you given when it would have been easier not to? Think about the way you would talk to yourself if you were someone else. Explore the things that make you loveable. And remember, everybody has something that makes them loveable. 

“If you have the ability to love, love yourself first.” – Charles Bukowski

Sing A Love Song With Your Whole Chest

What You’ll Need: internet access AND a karaoke song that you love

What You’ll Do: Go on YouTube and find a karaoke version of a song that speaks to you. It can be in a group setting, or if you struggle with stage fright (as many of us do) it could be in the privacy of your own bedroom. The important thing is that you sing, and that you sing with pride and joy in your heart. Human beings were wired to sing, and make music with their bodies, and you are no exception. We were not meant to make music because we’re all good at it. We were meant to make music because it makes us happy. 

Give Yourself A Tattoo

What You’ll Need: a temporary tattoo kit OR a marker (preferably the ones that smell delicious)

What You’ll Do: Body art needn’t be exclusive to those with the sensory bravery to go to a tattoo parlor. We’ve all seen a little kid who’s got their handwriting smudged all the way up to their biceps after an afternoon of self-tattooing. Why do kids do that? You see, the reason that kids do that is because it’s very fun. In tattooing yourself, you can express your internal world externally and be left with a fun (but temporary) reminder of your inner self. Grab your preferred material, and give yourself a little design. Remember, even if you don’t believe you’re an artist, we all drew pictures when we were kids, and wouldn’t the back of your hand look better with a flower on it? 

Build A Campfire Because It’s Still Too Cold To Go To The Beach

What You’ll Need: a fire pit, tinder, kindling, and fuel.

What You’ll Do: This is one of those therapeutic activities that your prehistoric ancestors will definitely appreciate. Since the dawn of our history human beings have studied the art of building a fire. In olden times, fires meant warmth, home, cooked food, and entertainment. In our modern lives, it’s easy to dismiss the psychological benefits of building and sitting beside a fire, but your lizard brain doesn’t give a hoot about modernity and it has a primal urge to feel comfort beside a fire. My #1 tip for firebuilding is this: you need more tinder (the little pieces of wood, pine needles, and palm fronds) than you think. In order to get the big pieces of wood lit, it’s gonna take a big flame. To get a big flame, you need to mindfully gather enough little pieces to sustain it. Be patient with your fire, be patient with yourself, and your patience will be rewarded. 

I Want To Do Even More Therapeutic Activities

That’s great! At Integrative Counsel, we’ve put together a wealth of resources on art therapy with prompts, testimonials, and guides for wherever you’re at on your journey. Resources like… 

• The Busy Person’s Guide To Making Art. Feel like you’re too busy to make time for your art? This article is for anyone who struggles to carve out time for their art in their busy schedule.  
• How To Do Art Therapy in St. Petersburg. Saint Pete is an artsy city, and thus, there are a lot of opportunities for art therapy in St. Petersburg. This article is for anyone who wants to put themselves out there and experience their artistic expression in a new way. 
• How To Get Started As An Artist. Maybe you’ve never attended art therapy. Maybe you haven’t touched a canvas since you were finger painting. It’s never too late to get started, and Dr. Diohn Brancaleoni has shared her insights on how. 

Like these DIY therapeutic activities? Integrative Counsel proudly offers virtual Art Therapy with Quinn. Quinn uses virtual art therapy to treat individuals with OCD and Anxiety, as well as those undergoing a major life transition or adjustment and are  experiencing grief. Click here to schedule your virtual art therapy session!

Sunny Ebsary is an educator, multi-modal artist, and writer specializing in the intersection of myth and mental health. Sunny’s writing walks the line between poetic and logical, giving readers a chance to interface with the mind and imagination. Sunny’s been putting pen to paper since he was a child, writing everything from albums, novels, and plays, to essays, interactive games, and of course, many articles! While studying both psychology and writing, he realized his real passion in life was helping others unlock their creative spark. Whether he’s leading a D&D game, directing a production, or diving deep into the brain, you can be sure Sunny will be ushering you toward finding meaning in your life.