Art Therapy Activities for August

Meditative painting

Pick colors that make you feel positive and paint using repetitive motions, covering the entire paper with these strokes. Then, use a different color and pattern to paint over the first layer. What makes this technique meditative is the repetitive movement and the layering because you are able to intuitively and spontaneously create whatever you feel in that moment. It doesn’t matter what it looks like, it matters that you are able to find peace in the moment, noticing the feeling of the brush strokes on paper, the smell of the paint, and envisioning the bright, beautiful colors and patterns.

Finger painting art therapy

Why did we ever stop finger painting?. t’s so easy to connect with your creative inner child when you playfully dip your finger in paint and allow yourself to revel in the sensation of gliding the paint on paper, moving it wherever it wants to go, no expectations, no purpose, just to play and explore. With finger painting, it’s not about the finished piece, it’s about the creative process. It’s about the calming colors you choose and the textures you feel in the moment. Be intuitive with this and see how it feels to use one finger or multiple fingers in your painting process. Just like rhythmic breathing helps you relax while meditating, using repetitive motion to match your heartbeat will put you in a zen state of mind

Art therapy with clay

When we are anxious or stressed, it helps to be able to manipulate materials with your hands. You can use clay or playdough and create your own mini sculptures. Keeping the hands busy and the mind focused on creating a sculpture helps your brain relax. You can even make your own playdough and clay as part of the creative process. Mix together 1 cup of flour, ½ cup of salt, 1 cup of water, and 1 tablespoon of oil in a saucepan on medium heat until it thickens. Then, store it in an airtight container, and voila, you have actual playdough! The full recipe is here. Creating the playdough and then making a sculpture out of it will give you a sense of mastery, which is important when taking care of yourself and healing your mind.

Create a Fragments Box

Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC came up with this idea, and it’s a fantastic way for you to get a better understanding of who you are, who you want to be, and find that sense of wholeness and authenticity. She painted a box to represent herself, which holds all of her fragments. These fragments are little tiles that have been embellished with paper. On these tiles, she writes what the different pieces of her are, such as “Strength”, “Calmness,” “Insight”, etc. This is helpful in healing yourself because it allows you to find your authentic self and who you know you can be. “Developing and containing these fragments through this process reminded me (again) of my core intentions, purpose, and helped “untangle” most of the “thought knots”, as well as put back and contain all the little pieces of me that were scattered everywhere and ought to be paid attention to for continued creativity, energy, and collaboration.”

Read last week’s article, “How to Stop Negative Thinking” here!

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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.