<p><strong>The process of making art allows individuals to explore themselves and their emotions, it aids them when facing hurdles in their lives, and even increase mindfulness</strong>. </p>
<p><strong>The same parts of our brain are activated when we make art and when we deal with solving problems</strong>, which makes art a great way of release since it can be a practice ground that can help you maneuver both personal and interpersonal issues.</p>

How Art Helps You

<ol>
<li><strong>Collage</strong> - creating a collage makes your brain think of how to compose new art out of what's already been made into art</li>
<li><strong>Doodle</strong> - when feeling negative, doodling can help manifest positive thoughts into your head</li>
<li><strong>Sketch or Color</strong> - repetitive strokes can provide a sense of relief</li>
<li><strong>Knit</strong> - it has been proven that knitting has a calming and meditative effect and can lower our stress hormones</li>
<li><strong>Sculpting</strong> - can mirror the process of building our ego whatever material you use.</li>
</ol>

Art Projects That Can Help Ease Yourself

<p>An art therapist offers a guide to doodling, drawing, and scrapbooking your way to a better frame of mind. &nbsp;</p><picture class="eh-image by-line__profile-image"><img src="https://www.everydayhealth.com/wellness/wellness/5-ways-to-use-art-to-change-your-mindset/" alt="Lindsay Lederman" width="42" height="56"></picture><div dir="ltr"><span dir="ltr">Last Updated: </span><time datetime="2020-10-08" dir="ltr">October 8, 2020</time></div><figure><picture class="eh-image eh-image--is-loaded eh-image--lazy"><source srcset="https://images.everydayhealth.com/images/ways-art-and-creativity-can-change-your-mindset-1440x810.jpg?w=375" media="(max-width: 375px)"><img src="https://images.everydayhealth.com/images/ways-art-and-creativity-can-change-your-mindset-1440x810.jpg?sfvrsn=3b5b8d5f_4" alt="black african american male artist with paintings" width="390" height="220"></picture><figcaption dir="auto">You don't have to be a pro to reap the mental health benefits of making art.&nbsp;Ivan Gener/Stocksy</figcaption></figure><p>If you’re struggling with the complexity of the world right now (and who isn’t?), you might consider an unexpected, but easily accessible, form of therapy: art.</p><p dir="ltr">I'm an art therapist at <a href="https://thearttherapyproject.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">The Art Therapy Project</a>, a nonprofit mental health organization that provides free group art therapy to people of all ages affected by trauma. In our work, we've learned that the art-making process helps people learn how to explore feelings, increase self-awareness, and cope with life's challenges.</p><p>The art-making process is a unique activity because it engages both the right and left hemispheres of the brain. When you make art, you’re making choices and solving problems, activating the same parts of the brain that you use during real-life problem solving. Because of this, art provides a low-stakes practice ground that can help you navigate important personal and interpersonal issues.&nbsp;</p><p>What’s more, the kind of art you do, and the materials you use, can change the way you feel, and each medium offers distinct benefits.</p><p>Best of all, you don’t need to be an experienced artist to reap the rewards. Anyone can make a bit of time for art and creativity. It’s the process, not the result, that creates a more positive mindset. Here are five simple ways to shift your state of mind.</p><h2><strong>1. Need a Sense of Control? Collage</strong></h2><p>Cut, rip, tear, and create. Collage is a method that helps us to explore ideas about creation. It requires problem-solving skills to figure out how to deconstruct an existing composition and then piece together something new. It can be enormously satisfying to alter an image and make it one’s own through a series of choices, providing a kinesthetic release and igniting feelings of control. Collage also allows us to be creative without having to produce our own imagery from scratch.</p><h2><strong>2. Feeling Negative? Doodle Mantras for Positivity</strong></h2><p>Creating a mantra doodle helps to manifest relaxed feelings and introduces positive messages into your mind. Take two minutes in between meetings or calls to write down the message you want to hear the most. If you have time, you can embellish it with designs, dots, and illustrations. Doodling has been shown to quiet parts of the mind that are distracted and allow for sharper focus.</p><h2><strong>3. Anxious? Sketch or Color</strong></h2><p dir="ltr">Doing something as simple as making a line — curvy or straight — and coloring around it can help you take note of your thoughts and feelings. Repetitive <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/stroke/guide/" data-gd-wrapped="" dir="ltr">strokes</a> provide temporary relief from life's <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/stress/guide/" data-gd-wrapped="" dir="ltr">stressors</a>, and the focus required to color can keep negative emotions at bay until you are ready to address them on your own terms.</p><h2><strong>4. Stressed? Knit</strong></h2><p dir="ltr">The repetitive hand motions of knitting are an active-reward activity, in which the mind and body work together to complete a specific task. This can have a calming, meditative effect and has even been shown to reduce <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/cortisol/guide/" data-gd-wrapped="" dir="ltr">levels of cortisol</a>, the <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/cortisol/guide/" data-gd-wrapped="" dir="ltr">stress hormone</a>.</p><h2><strong>5. Feeling Helpless? Sculpt</strong></h2><p>Creating 3D objects can mirror the process of building up our egos. So, whether it’s clay or popsicle sticks, using materials to build up and out can help us feel more masterful and able to handle what life throws our way.</p><figure><picture class="eh-image eh-image--lazy eh-image--nojs"><img src="https://images.everydayhealth.com/images/newsletter-signup/healthy-living-nl-signup.jpg?sfvrsn=702f28f8_2" alt="Healthy Living"></picture></figure><div><span>NEWSLETTERS</span></div><div><span>Sign up for our Healthy Living Newsletter!</span></div><form novalidate=""><label for="emailid-5675">Enter your email</label></form><form novalidate=""><button type="submit">Subscribe</button></form>

An art therapist’s guide to doodling, drawing, or scrapbooking your way to a better frame of mind.

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

health

Health

mentalhealth

Mental Health

problemsolving

Problem Solving

creativity

Creativity

<p>An art therapist offers a guide to doodling, drawing, and scrapbooking your way to a better frame of mind.   </p>

<p>If you’re struggling with the complexity of the world right now (and who isn’t?), you might consider an unexpected, but easily accessible, form of therapy: art. </p>

<p>I'm an art therapist at <a href="https://thearttherapyproject.org/">The Art Therapy Project </a>, a nonprofit mental health organization that provides free group art therapy to people of all ages affected by trauma. In our work, we've learned that the art-making process helps people learn how to explore feelings, increase self-awareness, and cope with life's challenges. </p>

<p>The art-making process is a unique activity because it engages both the right and left hemispheres of the brain. When you make art, you’re making choices and solving problems, activating the same parts of the brain that you use during real-life problem solving. Because of this, art provides a low-stakes practice ground that can help you navigate important personal and interpersonal issues.  </p>

<p>What’s more, the kind of art you do, and the materials you use, can change the way you feel, and each medium offers distinct benefits. </p>

<p>Best of all, you don’t need to be an experienced artist to reap the rewards. Anyone can make a bit of time for art and creativity. It’s the process, not the result, that creates a more positive mindset. Here are five simple ways to shift your state of mind. </p>

<p>Cut, rip, tear, and create. Collage is a method that helps us to explore ideas about creation. It requires problem-solving skills to figure out how to deconstruct an existing composition and then piece together something new. It can be enormously satisfying to alter an image and make it one’s own through a series of choices, providing a kinesthetic release and igniting feelings of control. Collage also allows us to be creative without having to produce our own imagery from scratch. </p>

2. Feeling Negative? Doodle Mantras for Positivity

<p>Creating a mantra doodle helps to manifest relaxed feelings and introduces positive messages into your mind. Take two minutes in between meetings or calls to write down the message you want to hear the most. If you have time, you can embellish it with designs, dots, and illustrations. Doodling has been shown to quiet parts of the mind that are distracted and allow for sharper focus. </p>

<p>Doing something as simple as making a line — curvy or straight — and coloring around it can help you take note of your thoughts and feelings. Repetitive <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/stroke/guide/">strokes </a>provide temporary relief from life's <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/stress/guide/">stressors </a>, and the focus required to color can keep negative emotions at bay until you are ready to address them on your own terms. </p>

<p>The repetitive hand motions of knitting are an active-reward activity, in which the mind and body work together to complete a specific task. This can have a calming, meditative effect and has even been shown to reduce <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/cortisol/guide/">levels of cortisol </a>, the <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/cortisol/guide/">stress hormone </a>. </p>

<p>Creating 3D objects can mirror the process of building up our egos. So, whether it’s clay or popsicle sticks, using materials to build up and out can help us feel more masterful and able to handle what life throws our way. </p>

Use Art to Change Your Mindset | Everyday Health

How Art Helps You

Art Projects That Can Help Ease Yourself

Morgan E.'s ideas are part of this journey:

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