15 Art Therapy Exercises You Can Do at Home

    • February 17, 2023
    • Veronika Childs
    15 Art Therapy Exercises You Can Do at Home

    The Power of Art: When My Feelings Can’t Talk is a children’s book but you don’t have to be a child or an artist to receive the benefits of art therapy. Anybody can draw, paint, color, sculpt, or create a collage. It’s true that some can do these things better than others, but skill is irrelevant in art therapy. The act of creating is what’s important. 

    Art therapy is an interesting field of mental health care that is based on the premise that expressing yourself creatively can enhance well-being and promote emotional healing. It can also boost self-awareness. 

     

    While there are licensed art therapists, you can do many of the same art therapy exercises at home that you would do in a clinical setting.

    The following exercises can be modified for any age or skill level. They can also be done individually or as a group/family.
    To get the most from each exercise, remember to focus on mindfulness. Stay in the present moment and create without filtering or overthinking. There is no wrong or right way to create.     

     

    Trigger Warning: Please note that art therapy, like more traditional forms of therapy, can unlock uncomfortable emotions and/or memories. If you or your child have experienced a traumatic event, please discuss using these techniques with a mental health care professional before proceeding. 

    Try these art therapy activities:

    1. Create sock puppets and put on a play

    Making sock puppets will put a smile on anyone’s face. You can act out a scene from your life. Maybe you want to re-enact a fight you had with your spouse? Or perhaps you want to help a child vent their frustrations related to a bullying incident?

    2. Create a sculpture that matches your mood

    Get your hands on some clay or Play-Doh and let your imagination run wild. Feeling anxious? Create a sculpture that represents that feeling. Dealing with some rage? See what ideas you have for representing rage with clay.

    3. Make a collage with photographs that you love

    Go through your old photos and make copies of some of your favorites. You can create a collage that exemplifies the emotions that those photographs stimulate in you. Note: You can also use photographs from magazines to complete this activity.

    4. Draw a picture that represents utopia to you

    What is your version of a perfect life or a perfect world? Draw it. What makes it so perfect for you?

    5. Create a painting that represents your childhood.

    What are the most important moments of your childhood? Will you include only positive memories? Or are you in the mood to get your hands dirty and deal with the negative events, too?

    6. Draw or paint your negative traits

    Consider your negative traits and find a way to represent them in a piece of art.

    7. Draw or paint your positive traits

    Do the same with your positive traits.

    8. Make a flag or a logo with a motto that represents your intentions

    What motto would you put on a flag that best describes your intention in life? 

    • Power?
    • Sacrifice?
    • Peace on Earth?
    • Love?
    • Domination?

    9. Make a dreamcatcher and find a place to hang it in your home

    If you don’t know what a dreamcatcher looks like, look it up online. Create your own version of a dreamcatcher and put it in an appropriate place.

    10. Draw a scene from one of your nightmares

    Since we’re discussing sleep and dreams, recreate a scene from a recent bad dream. If you haven’t tried your hand at drawing lately, now would be a good time.

    11. Build an altar

    Create an altar or a meditation/prayer space that is unique to you and will help you connect fully with your spiritual side.

    12. Create a map of all the personal connections in your life.

    Put yourself in the center and diagram all the relationships you have. What do you notice? Is there anything you would like to change?

    13. Create a vision of you

    Close your eyes and picture your ideal you. What would you look like? What would you be doing? Where would you be? Use any medium (paint, charcoal, pastels etc.). to create this perfect vision.

    14. Paint a rock

    List your values on the rock and put it where you can see it each day. 

    15. Draw your safe place

    Use any medium you like. Create a place that makes you feel safe from the world.

    Bonus Tip:

    If you see a therapist/ mental health care professional, share your creation with them. 99% of time I share a creation with my therapist, we have a breakthrough moment. 

    Art therapy is a gift that you can give yourself. Pick one exercise and give it a try. Experiment and see what happens. Focus on the experience rather than on the outcome or art you create. You may not create a masterpiece, but your subconscious mind will thank you for the creative outlet. 

     

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    Veronika Childs

    Author & Speaker

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