Art Therapy: Harness Creativity to Promote Mental and Behavioral Health

Thrive • Jan 13, 2022

By Thrive Reno Therapist Paige Schanbacher, MFT-Intern

Sometimes, finding the words to explain how you’re feeling can be challenging. For individuals struggling with trauma , children yet to develop effective language skills, and individuals experiencing mental or behavioral health conditions, this difficulty to express oneself can be especially prevalent.

Enter art therapy! By allowing individuals to wordlessly share their struggles, experiences, and story through creative mediums, art therapy can be a powerful intervention that helps individuals overcome the limitations of language. Potentially mistaken as a casual activity, art therapy is in fact an evidence-based modality led by master’s level therapists who curate the practice toward each clients’ therapeutic goals.

FOUR FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT ART THERAPY

1. Art therapy was initially used to help soldiers returning from the world wars process their wartime experiences and readjust to civilian life.

Since its inception as a way to treat psychologically-scarred soldiers, art therapy has expanded to help individuals experiencing other mental and behavioral health struggles, including eating disorders , substance use disorders, depression , anxiety , and even grief .

2. Art therapy provides a cathartic way to create a non-verbal personal narrative.

The deeply-subconscious activity of art marking can provide a way for individuals to understand and express their thoughts and emotions without using words. Art therapy can involve creating collages, sewing, painting, drawing, and more. By diving into the client’s artistic decisions, such as the lines, shapes, and colors they chose, art therapists can guide individuals to develop a fuller understanding of their inner-selves.

3. Art therapy can help individuals further their personal growth.

Art therapy isn’t only beneficial in treating psychological struggles. Anyone seeking to develop a better understanding of themselves and their experiences can participate in art therapy. The practice empowers individuals to bypass any inclination to rationalize or intellectualize, and instead, they are free to honestly explore their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

4. Art therapy falls under the umbrella of expressive therapies which include music therapy, writing therapy, and dance therapy.

Expressive therapies allow individuals to explore their creative spirit through the outlets that feel most inspiring, which may include doodling, sculpting, playing instruments, singing, dancing, journaling, and writing poetry. From the drumbeat one chooses to the tone of their poems, insights can be gained from the creative process when guided by a trained therapist. The art that individuals create inevitably embodies their experience, even if they’re unable to describe it in words.

About the Author

Paige Schanbacher, MFT-Intern — Thrive Reno Therapist

Paige Schanbacher, MFT-intern, received her bachelor’s degree in pre-medical chemistry and her master’s degree in marriage & family counseling from the University of Nevada, Reno. Paige offers individual, couples, family, and group counseling. She has experience working with homeless young adults, first generation immigrants, those in the LGBTQIA+ community, and individuals with mood disorders, anxiety and personality disorders. Paige believes in a client centered, multicultural and trauma informed approach to counseling. She is passionate about using unique and creative interventions in therapy, including music, art and psychodrama. Paige has utilized tarot cards and astrology with her clients who are interested in integrating their spiritual practice in session. When she is not therapizing, she likes to hang out with her dogs, fight people by way of Muay Thai, and watch youtube essays analyzing pop culture.

The post Art Therapy: Harness Creativity to Promote Mental and Behavioral Health first appeared on Thrive Wellness.

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Clean House, Healthy Mind: Spring Cleaning Benefits for Mental Health

By Sage Tippie • 23 Apr, 2024

Spring Cleaning Benefits for Mental Health Spring is a time of new beginnings, change, and transitions, including in our homes. With the warmer weather kicking motivation into high gear, Spring can be a prime time to do a deep clean. Not only is a clean space aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, but it can also help to improve your mental health. Learn about how tidying up your space can also tidy up your thoughts below along with tips for cleaning when you’re struggling with your mental health. 4 Reasons Why Cleaning is Beneficial to Mental health 1.Decreased Stress Not only does an uncluttered space provide a sense of calm, but the physical act of cleaning can release feel-good endorphins, reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. As you cross tasks off your checklist, your body also releases Dopamine. Also known as the “happy hormone”, Dopamine provides a sense of accomplishment and pride that can promote motivation in other areas of our lives. 2. Improved Focus Studies have shown that an uncluttered space can also lead to an uncluttered mind. Your focus can be drawn away from important tasks by a chaotic, messy space. Research has also shown a connection between procrastination and clutter, as an unwillingness to tackle larger chores like cleaning can translate over into various areas of our lives. By keeping your space tidy, it can inspire you to stay on top of other major tasks like work and school assignments. 3. Regulated Emotions According to this 2015 study , cleaning can function as a practice in mindfulness, providing an increased sense of calm and inspiration. Slowing down while cleaning gives you room to relax and free your mind of burdens, stressors, and irritants that can affect your mental health. Cleaning can even be considered a practice of self-care as the action helps you to connect with yourself and the outcome allows you to better enjoy your own space. 4. Sense of Order and Control When experiencing mental health struggles, people may feel a lack of control over their lives and emotions. Cleaning even small areas of the home can provide an increased sense of order and control as you cross tasks off your to-do list. Through realizing your own power by simply completing minor tasks like cleaning, it can reaffirm your ability to do more. 10 Tips for Cleaning When Struggling with Mental Health Mental health struggles and disorders commonly create barriers to one’s ability to clean and properly practice personal hygiene. Although these behaviors are normal side effects of mental health disorders, we want to work to aid our clients in cleaning to the best of their ability even in difficult times. Below, Thrive Wellness occupational therapist Meadow Deason shares some helpful tips she gives to clients when they struggle with cleaning due to mental health conditions: 1.Ask For Help Having support to clean can make a huge difference. Do the cleaning with the person helping you and have them hold you accountable. 2. Don't Wait for Motivation Motivation might not come before action, but it can build as you begin to see the results of your efforts. 3. Start Small Start with one area or one task and go from there. For example, concentrate on your bedroom first and then move on to the living room and bathroom. 4. Do Something Daily Even if you do only one small cleaning task a day, doing that one task creates momentum and prevents small tasks from building up and becoming overwhelming. 5. Use Sensory Modulation Change your environment by playing music, adjusting the lighting, or using aromatherapy. This can help to put you in a new headspace for cleaning. 6. Start with "High Impact" Tasks Start with more intensive or all-over cleaning tasks such as picking up clutter or doing the dishes. The visual "noise" of some tasks makes a large impact on the entire space, building motivation to continue cleaning. 7. Make a To-Do List Write a detailed to-do list of tasks and cross them off as you go. Physically marking down what you’ve accomplished can promote increased motivation. 8. Reward Yourself Set up a reward system where you reward yourself with a favorite activity or item when you complete a task as an incentive to clean. 9. Use the Rocket Method Don't think about it, just choose a task, countdown from five or ten and then start. This can help you to avoid potential anxiety and dread that can prevent you from cleaning. 10. Gamify Tasks Make up a game for your tasks or time yourself to promote increased engagement in cleaning. Your ability to complete tasks can be affected by a multitude of different factors and conditions including OCD , anxiety, depression , ADHD , and more. If you are struggling with motivation due to your mental health, help is here at Thrive Wellness.

child getting bandaid from doctor while mother smiles

The Importance of Whole Family Primary Care: A Q&A with Dr. Stephanie Wright

26 Mar, 2024

By serving the whole family, physicians are able to have a better understanding of family dynamics, family health care goals, and history of disease in the family.