Firstly, let’s get something straight: you don’t have to be an ‘artist’ to benefit from art therapy.
Your artistic repertoire could consist of drawing stick figures or ugly blobs that resemble pieces of turd and it wouldn’t make a difference. What matters are the emotional and psychological impacts of what you draw, paint or create!
If you regularly struggle with a lack of focus, restlessness, irritability, anxiety, stress, frustration, depression, anger or any emotions that you have difficulty processing, you absolutely need to consider giving art therapy a serious try.
Like me, your art therapy practice could be as simple as having a cup full of pencils and a drawing pad next to where you work. Here is what mine looks like:

As you can see, there’s nothing fancy about what I’ve drawn. In fact, from your perspective, this page might look like a bunch of mental vomit that has landed on a perfectly nice piece of paper. In any case, its the benefits that count! And I can tell you that art therapy has had some tremendously positive effects on my ability to focus, process grief, express anger, and relax.
In this article, you’ll find a bunch of art therapy activities inspired by Russian art therapist and psychologist Victoria Nazarevich.
What is Art Therapy?
Art therapy is the safe, creative, and therapeutic process of expressing your inner thoughts, feelings, memories, and experiences through any form of art.
Art therapy usually involves techniques such as drawing, painting, sculpting, collaging, and other types of crafts that help create more inner self-awareness, understanding, and harmony.
Those who undergo formal art therapy with trained art therapists are often taught to reflect on their art and examine any emotional or psychological truths that may be inherent in what they create.
Art Therapy is For Children, Adults, the Elderly – Everyone!
No matter who you are, where you come from, how old you are or what you do, you can benefit from art therapy. There’s no doubt about it. So if you’re wondering “umm, is this really for me?” the answer is a resounding YES!
Children, for example, often benefit from art therapy because it helps them to process their emotions and learn the art of self-soothing. Adults benefit from the positive mental health impacts and the elderly benefit from the self-expression and social aspects of doing art therapy with others.
11 Art Therapy Benefits
Seeking out an art therapist will help you learn to ‘decode’ the various metaphors, symbols, and non-verbal clues buried in your artwork that reveal hidden wounds, fears, and desires. BUT … not everyone has the means to seek out professional therapy.
Thankfully, there are many books out there such as 250 Brief, Creative, and Practical Art Therapy Techniques which can help you become your own amateur art therapist. You can even join free online groups (such as those found on various social media platforms like Facebook) dedicated to art therapy, post your artwork, and receive insight from legitimate art therapists if that appeals to you.
Whether done by yourself (or with an art therapist), here are some wonderful benefits you can expect to enjoy:
- Improved self-esteem and self-worth
- Increased ability to self-soothe
- Stress and anxiety relief
- Improved emotional intelligence and processing
- Increased ability to cope with chronic physical illnesses
- Improved mental health
- Enhanced problem-solving skills
- Ability to face past traumas and emotional triggers
- Improved communication skills
- Increased focus
- Emotional and mental catharsis (healthy outlet of self-expression)
And all this simply by putting a pen to paper!
15 Art Therapy Ideas and Activities For Beginners
Now, let’s get to the core of this article, shall we? You will find some amazingly simple and effective art therapy ideas and activities below:
1. Sadness
Paint a rainbow:
2. Worried
Make origami:
3. Listless
Draw landscapes:
4. Angry
Draw lines:
5. Focus
Draw grids and a target:
6. Need to make the right choice
Draw waves and circles:
7. Bored
Paint with different colors:
8. Enraged
Tear a piece of paper:
9. Nostalgic
Draw a maze:
10. Difficulty understanding wishes
Make a collage:
11. Confused
Draw a mandala:
12. Stuck
Draw spirals:
13. Difficulty understanding feelings
Draw yourself:
14. Desperation
Draw roads:
15. Need to arrange thoughts
Draw cells or squares:
***
There are so many benefits of art therapy that it’s worth taking the time to dabble and experiment. The point isn’t to create a beautiful piece of art, the point of art therapy is to express your inner feelings, thoughts, and unconscious struggles.
I hope these art therapy ideas and activities have inspired you. If you’d like to incorporate artistic self-expression into your inner work practice, see our soulwork coloring book.
How do you plan to incorporate these art therapy ideas into your life? Please share below along with any other therapeutic activities you already do to banish anxiety and channel your emotions!
Whenever you feel the call, there are 3 ways I can help you:
1. The Spiritual Wanderer Course: Need "big picture" direction, clarity, and focus? Our Spiritual Wanderer course is a crystallization of 10+ years of inner work, and it can help you find your deeper path and purpose in life as a spiritual wanderer. You get 3+ hours of audio-visual content, workbooks, meditations, a premium test, and more!.
2. Shadow & Light Membership: Want weekly intuitive guidance to support you on your awakening path? This affordable membership can help you to befriend your dark side, rediscover more self-love, and reclaim inner wholeness.
3. Spiritual Awakening Bundle: Looking for a collection of all our essential transformative resources? You get five enlightening ebooks, seven in-depth journals, plus two empowering bonuses to help you soul search, heal, and awaken.
I would love an article about art therapy through dance!
I have high functioning autism and ADHD and anxiety and depression and learning disabilities and asthma
I used these on my boyfriend who has very bad anxiety and it seemed to improve how he felt. I love art and loved helping him with something I love.
This is an excellent resource, thank you for sharing I am going to use this with some of my mental health patients to aid in their recovery, many blessings to you Luna
Thank you so much for sharing these great ideas. I’ve started trying to experiment and try my hand at art to help me heal. I’m a little of a perfectionist, but I’m learning how to let go and create. I really like the bright colors all across the page idea and drawing on paper with the sharpies. One of the projects I’ve been working on is using a fine point sharpie pin to make freeform drawings with words intertwined. I keep trying and hope it helps.
Thank you, I feel better already.
As a Psychosocial practitioner -cum-psychologist, I have used Art therapy with children as well as adults. Venting feelings & seeking recourse or resolution helps them but it also becomes a medium to express creativity, self appreciation & personal accreditation.
* On a personal level, as an artist, Art is very therapeutic: it gives me immense peace, joy, acceptance & gratitude.
Other activities to banish anxiety & channel my emotions are: Poetry composition; my ‘Creative Diary’; Gardening & caring for my potted plants & beautifully large collection of Cacti; Creative writing; Playing the piano; Soprano singing & Creative designing.
Thanks Luna & Sol for this mission of awareness, awakening, personal evolving & integration & regeneration.
Maryann
As a Psychosocial practitioner -cum-psychologist, I have used Art therapy with children as well as adults. Venting feelings & seeking recourse or resolution helps them but it also becomes a medium to express creativity, self appreciation & personal accreditation.
* On a personal level, as an artist, Art is very therapeutic: it gives me immense peace, joy, acceptance & gratitude.
Other activities to banish anxiety & channel my emotions are: Poetry composition; my ‘Creative Diary’; Gardening & caring for my potted plants & beautifully large collection of Cacti; Creative writing; Playing the piano; Soprano singing & Creative designing.