How Can Art Making Transform Emotional Suffering?
Mary How 
Have you heard about art therapy, and wondered "what the heck is that?" The healing power of art making is real. Find out how it can help you
Before I answer the “How is Art Making Helpful?” question I think it’s important to tell you a little more about my background.
Over 20 years ago, I was trained as an art therapist to assist people in using the process of art making to transform their emotional suffering.
Did you know that art therapists are master’s trained mental health professionals who are knowledgeable in both art AND therapy?
We are skilled at understanding:
- Human development
- Psychological theories
- Clinical practice
- Spiritual, multicultural and artistic traditions
- And (perhaps most importantly) the HEALING POWER OF ART.
While humans have been creating since the beginning of time is it now possible that we must embrace and foster our creativity in order for us to feel SATISFIED and SUCCESSFUL?
Yes!
I would say so…
How does it work?
There are six specific reasons that art making works to transform emotional suffering. The categories are organization, stimulation, specificity, responsibility, multi-dimensionality and integration.
- Organization: the art process and final art product allows us to give labels to thoughts and feelings. An art therapist helps clients organize these thoughts and feelings to better understand why he or she behaves in particular ways.
- Stimulation: the process of creating art allows for kinetic stimulation of the human senses. This also allows for mindful awareness.
- Specific: the art process allows people to learn and practice specific coping skills such as relaxation, anger management, delayed gratification, impulse control, distress tolerance and positive self-expression.
- Responsibility: the art process requires us to make decisions. Making decisions and taking action provides a concrete way for us to commit to making lasting change in other areas of our lives.
- Multidimensional: the art process increases access to our emotions, is personal and revealing, is process oriented: letting the materials lead, and increases access to symbol and metaphor.
- Integrative: art making utilizes right brain thinking and explores unconscious motivations while talking about the art allows for integration of these new insights.
Maybe you are skeptical. Some people can’t get past the belief that art making is childish, or a waste of time.
Perhaps you are afraid. Fear can be debilitating for sure.
If you have been struggling with managing your emotions, and want to make a change, what are you waiting for?
You deserve to live each daily in alignment with your passion and purpose.
You deserve access to your intuition, innovative ideas, and creative thinking.
And most of all, you deserve to make the most out of this one wild and precious life!
It’s never too late to get started, but don’t you think it’s time?
P.S. I am a registered, board certified art therapist, with over 20 years of experience helping people build emotional resiliency. I use art therapy exercises in my online courses to teach people valuable life changing skills in a FUN and CREATIVE way! And NO you don’t need to be an artist to participate!
Join the Create MORE with Mary How FACEBOOK group today to make sure that you don’t miss the launch of latest course: Create MORE Emotional Intelligence—available for a limited time— very soon!
Create MORE with Mary How
Transform your emotional suffering. Isn’t it time? Create MORE Facebook Group is a group for women and men who want to transform their lives through mindfulness and creativity. We are a community of people from around the world, from different backgrounds who are learning skills to transform our emotional suffering. This community is a safe space for diverse voices to share their experiences about what they are creating and how they are transforming their lives. I’m so excited that you are here! Each week I post a mindfulness tip and a prompt to inspire you to creative action! This group is a forum where you are invited to share your art, your wins and your losses. We are here to support you along your way! Interested in working with me personally? Send me a direct message. Or sign up for my transformational online art therapy courses and emotional resiliency coaching at www.maryhow.com
Written by Mary How
Mary How, MA, ATR-BC, owner of Create MORE with Mary How is an artist, art therapist, coach, teacher and writer with over twenty years of experience working with survivors of trauma, mental illness and behavioral disorders. A modern day mindfulness expert, Mary uses a unique combination of cognitive restructuring, mindfulness and art in her personalized coaching and group skills classes.
View and purchase Mary's art here.
Purchase self-care products, art kits, ritual kits & original art here.
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