Art Therapy Workshop: Week One
Create a Relaxing Place
The changes that occur throughout college can become stressful and overwhelming for many. Increased stress and worry may lead to changes in your mood, disrupted sleep and eating patterns, or difficulty concentrating. Today’s activity can help promote relaxation when you’re feeling stressed through the use of imagery. Imagining a safe and stress-free place or environment can help foster a sense of relaxation and calmness.
Before you get started, try to find a quiet environment with minimal distractions to help you focus on the creative process. I would also encourage you to put your phone on silent and consider playing some soothing music in the background. As a reminder, no artistic background or skill is needed and there is no right or wrong way to make art. Let go of judgements, be mindful of what emerges during the activity, and enjoy the process.
Materials:
- Drawing or paint supplies of your choice (Colored pencils, oil pastels, watercolor paint, etc.)
- Sketch paper or watercolor paper
- Paint brushes and water (optional)
*Please adjust or substitute materials with similar supplies available to you.
Art Prompt:
- Visualize a safe/relaxing place. A place where you can feel comfortable and at peace. This can be a real place or one that you imagine.
- Imagine looking all around you and notice what you see in your stress-free place.
- Use your five senses to notice what you can see, hear, feel, smell, or taste in this place.
- When you are ready, draw or paint an image of this place on paper.
Reflection:
Once finished, take 10-15 minutes to do some reflection on the exercise using the questions provided or write down any other thoughts that came up at this time.
- Where is this place you created? Describe the place.
- How would you feel if you were in this place right now? What are the emotions and physical sensations you feel as you visualize this safe and relaxing place?
- What did you learn from this exercise? Any thoughts that emerged for you during this process?
Go forward to Art Therapy Workshop: Week Two