Creative Art Therapy

Many people, young and old, have found a tremendous sense of healing, growth, and personal transformation through the modes of art therapy, process art, and expressive creative healing. (See also: Creativity & Depression)

Unlike traditional art-making, with a completed "perfect" end-product in mind, healing arts such as intuitive painting or process painting differ in approach and intent. In her powerful piece, Women, Painting, and Power, expressive arts therapist Chris Zydel describes it as a way "to learn to listen deeply to yourself and to then courageously express what you find, without censoring anything, in a spirit of spontaneity, surrendering to the creative process."

The uses of art therapy (and related modes of expression such as finger painting, journal writing, visual journaling, and Zen gardening) are many and can facilitate powerful physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual healing and growth in people at various stages. The following art therapy, process art, and expressive healing articles, projects, and resources on this page can help you learn more about how to use these tools for yourself and for others in various healing and inner growth situations.

Also @ Creativity Portal

The Tree-mendous Memory! Game
Sharpen your mind with a fun simple game that is available to everyone as a free printable download in PDF format. If you want to exercise your brain and you like board games, print the game out for your table top. Great fun for kids and family. Elderly people benefit too by strengthening their mind muscle with the "Tree-mendous Memory! Game". Be sure to check out the autumn version of this game.

A Light Bulb Moment on Edison's Creative Genius
Uttering just seven words, Edison taught us the two main ingredients that go into that thing we call genius.

Sacred Play
You are an actor on a cosmic stage. What role will you play?

The Addiction Zone
Many addictions start off as routines and the first level of addiction can be relatively harmless or even beneficial.

Words and Images: Practicing Patience
I was at home, hungry, walking toward my last pot of nasturtium. I planned to pick all of the dark green leaves for a final salad.

Your Mission Paintment
What if a mission statement could be playful? What if your mission, like you, could be ever evolving, ever changing, and always expanding?

A Few Words in Favor of Obsession
Part 3 and final installment of author Sam Bennett's OVERCOMING PERFECTION series.

Collaging with Cancer #12: Possibility Awaits
There was something about these images that spoke to me, and so I followed that inner leading and placed them all on a SoulCollage card!

THE ZONE #12: The Sadness Zone
The worst thing you can do to someone who is sad is to tell them to snap out of it, or that things could be worse.

Confessions of a Recovering Perfectionist
Perfectionism would be so great...if only it worked. But it doesn't.

Art & Crafts : Art Therapy, Process Art, Expressive Creative Healing

Art Therapy, Process Art, Expressive Creative Healing

Inspiring Projects & Articles

Soul Collage® with Anne Marie Bennett
Soul Collage® facilitator Anne Marie Bennett shares the therapeutic healing aspects of creating these personal collage cards based on the work by Seena Frost for contemplation and inner healing in her "Collaging with Cancer" and "Inner Voices of Creativity" series.

Women, Painting and Power
By Chris Zydel
I'm standing in my studio, watching ten women painting in silence with exquisite focus and concentration, and the energy is just humming.

Play Creatively with Sidewalk Chalk Art (Humor)
By Chris Dunmire
Doodling on the sidewalk promotes wonderful creative play. You can get your whole body involved in mural-making movement with this art form, so it makes a great therapeutic outlet and comic relief to a stressful day.

Nurture Your Creativity: Healing with Zen Gardening
By Chris Dunmire
Cultivating a Zen garden is a meditative, relaxing, and stress-relieving activity, perfect for calming down, centering yourself, and healing. Learn more about cultivating your own Zen rock garden including project instructions for how to make your own easy desktop Zen garden for under $10.

Art Therapy, Process Art, & Creative Healing Sources

Seena Frost's Soul Collage® Online Community
"Originated by Seena Frost, SoulCollage® is a process for accessing your intuition and creating an incredible deck of cards with deep personal meaning that will help you with life's questions and transitions."

Therapeutic Creative Expression of Pain & Pleasure
Judith Westerfield's blog shares experiences and creative expression to help motivate others with fibromyalgia, life-altering medical conditions, and the general public to discover the therapeutic value in creativity. Explore tutorials on how to do Therapeutic Process Journaling, spontaneous collage journal pages and how to interpret journal pages for personal unconscious meanings and messages.

Writing for Well Being
"It is a well known fact that writing has a positive effect on an individuals sense of well being." Essays about the therapeutic value of writing by Heather Blakey.

The Alchemy of Art
By Douglas Eby
Creative expression can transform painful reactions and situations, providing strength and understanding to change how we feel and interact with the world. Works of art made by others can remodel our inner realities.

Charting Your Soul's Voyage: Agoraphobia, Panic-Anxiety and Depression
By Anita Glenn
Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia became an unwelcome part of my life in 1989 after many years of living a high-stress lifestyle and having an interesting childhood.

American Art Therapy Association (AATA)
"Dedicated to the belief that the creative process involved in the making of art is healing and life enhancing."

Arts and Healing Network
"A resource celebrating the connection between art and healing that serves as an international resource for anyone interested in the healing potential of art, especially environmentalists, social activists, artists, art professionals, health care practitioners, and those challenged by illness. Our hope is that the information presented here will educate and inspire."

British Association of Art Therapists
"Information about art therapy, careers and training in art therapy, and a section for professional art therapists-including continuing professional development, membership details, news and events."

Art Therapy: How Creative Expression Can Heal
Article published by the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, by Barbara Williams Cosentino, RN, CSW, discusses art as a gateway to the subconscious, where art therapy can be useful, different techniques for different issues, and how it might work.

Self-help Healing Arts Journal: Reclaiming the Inner Artist to Heal the Soul
The Self-help Healing Arts Journal believes that the healing arts (all art) has the ability to help heal emotional wounds. This site provides a safe place to help you reclaim your inner artist, improve your self esteem and reach your dreams. Includes information on art healing, healing arts, mandalas, and art projects.

Brush Fire Painting Workshops | Spotlight Profile
Brush Fire painting facilitators encourage participants to shed preconceptions about art making, let go of the final product, and paint with the joy and freedom of a child.

National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations (NCCATA) "Founded in 1979, the NCCATA is an alliance of professional associations dedicated to the advancement of the arts as therapeutic modalities. NCCATA represents over 8000 individual members of six creative arts therapies associations."

Vicky Barber's Art Therapy Pages
Learn what art therapy is, who is it for, what skills are needed, various methods that can be used, and information about art therapy exhibitions.