8 Art Therapy Activities For Winter Blues

For some of us, spring can’t come soon enough. With the weather, the light, and the current state of the world, it can be easy to feel those familiar winter blues. Lighten your load with these art therapy activities you can do from the comfort of your home.

Hand Drawing

Embrace your inner child and get back into hand drawing! For this activity, you’ll want to draw an outline of your hand. In that outline, you have the freedom to draw different shapes, use different colors, and write words of encouragement.

Paint to music

Create an art therapy playlist and let the music move you to create. Making art to the flow of a song will help you feel more creative and present.

Draw out your stress

Instead of letting your stress overwhelm you, pour it out onto the paper. Writing it down can help, but sometimes you need a little extra boost. Using colors and abstract shapes to draw out what you are feeling can help you make sense of it, release it, and move forward.

Make a postcard from your future self

When you are struggling with depression, it can be a challenge to envision a better future for yourself. On the front of the postcard, draw or paint a picture of what you would like your life to look like in the future. On the back of the card, write a letter to yourself giving yourself love and encouragement. This will help you feel more hopeful about the future and get the future that you want.

Make origami

If you’re feeling worried or anxious, making origami can help! This is because it allows you to fully focus on what you’re doing, and the act of folding paper is very relaxing. There are times, however, when origami can feel very frustrating, however, it teaches you to stick with something, ask for help, and persevere even when things feel rough.

Create an expressive self-portrait

Paint yourself, but get creative with it. Use expressive colors to demonstrate your feelings, and allow them to be abstract rather than realistic. Let your imagination run wild as you free yourself from conventional self-portrait painting.

Use your body as a canvas

Sometimes, you need something to help you feel more grounded and in touch with your body. Using bodypaints and painting on your body can help you feel more appreciative of yourself, build your confidence, and see yourself as the work of art you are.

Make ephemeral art.

Ephemeral art is art that doesn’t last. You would use materials such as sand, chalk, and water to create art with the intention of letting it go after. A lot of us struggle with letting things go, especially when we have an emotional attachment to them. This will teach you that it is healthy and freeing to let things go.

For more DIY art therapy activities, check out our article DIY Art Therapy for January. Sometimes, we have anxiety around being creative, and because of this, it is difficult to get started. This article shows you how to work through that creative anxiety so that you can move past your creative blocks and start experiencing the healing impact of self expression.

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Starting with a creative written voice and a BA in English from ASU, Alli Cravener has become so much more than Integrative Counsel’s voice! Not only is she a writer who is passionate about connecting concepts and content, Alli is also currently a grad student working towards her Master’s in Counseling. She is also the editor-in-chief, office manager, AND intake specialist at Integrative Counsel. When you call us, you’ll talk to Alli! Alli’s interests include painting, history, learning about other people, and wearing the color pink. She likens herself to a “mouse in a palm tree”, and she loves it that way.