Art therapy can help to reduce anxiety, and the associated tension. Activities such as painting to music, creating mandalas, working with scents and sculpting with clay can be calming, and can at the same time, promote the cathartic release of pent-up tension. In addition, creating images can help individuals to tap into underlying feelings, thoughts, and ideas, in a way in which words alone cannot achieve. Once a piece of art is completed, the artwork, which is often loaded with metaphoric symbols, can be examined and discussed with the therapist. This process provides opportunities for increased insight and self-awareness.
Art therapy, combined with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), is a powerful tool for addressing the causes and symptoms of anxiety. CBT takes a close look at anxiety-causing situations, physical reactions (e.g., heart palpations, sweating), emotions, and thoughts. In art therapy we take this a step further by incorporating simple drawings and/or paintings to enhance self-expression, release tension, and form new positive mental images. Artwork is centered on the development of coping strategies, such as the replacement of negative, sabotaging thoughts or self-talk with more realistic self-talk. Negative mental images are made visual through the artwork, and are eventually replaced with more realistic and functional images. These new images can be looked at over and over to enhance memory and learning. With practice, the new, more functional images can be brought forward into memory, to help cope with anxiety provoking situations.
-Andrea Charendoff, Art Therapist