How does Art Therapy Help with Anxiety? A Therapist in San Marcos, CA Shares thoughts.
This blog has been updated from the original September 1, 2023 post.
Anxiety is one of the main issues that brings people to therapy. It comes packaged in a variety of ways, but throughout a lifetime, over 30% of adults will at some time struggle with anxiety.
Will it be so significant that it interferes with their life? It could. So, if you are reading this blog, perhaps feeling alone in your anxiety, you’re not alone at all.
Maybe you have never gone to therapy and the thought of talking about anxiety feels hard. Perhaps you have tried to “talk” to a therapist before about your anxiety. And it didn’t go as you hoped.
Either way, not every therapist is for everyone. And not every type of therapy is for everyone, either. Yet, most therapy relies heavily on talking. It can feel like diving into the deep end if you don’t swim well.
Some therapies rely much less on talking, Art Therapy is one of them.
Isn’t Art Therapy just for children?
Adults often think Art Therapy is therapy just for children, or only for teens and adults who draw well. Sometimes people think it’s therapy to become better at art. Art Therapy is a mental health profession. An Art Therapist has training and licensing in psychology and education in art making in the context of a therapy relationship.
While I use Art Therapy with kids in child therapy, I’ve also facilitated Art Therapy with adults for many years. For children, play and art are natural ways to express themselves. They see markers and are quick to ask for paper. Art-making can feel foreign or uncomfortable for adults, but it doesn’t mean it’s not for adults. It may be exactly what is needed.
Why would an Adult want to try Art Therapy in San Diego?
Art-making is something most adults haven't done since elementary school. So why would an adult want to try this kind of therapy for anxiety?
Here’s one reason: If you’re not an artist, art-making in therapy may mimic the discomfort you feel in other areas of your life.
Why? Because if you struggle with anxiety you're more likely to struggle with some of the following issues.
Forecasting negative outcomes rather than positive ones. So, you imagine that if you create art, it will look terrible. And if it looks bad, you may also get an automatic negative thought, and label yourself, “I’m a failure”.
Fear of judgment. Now that you have forecasted that your art will look bad, you feel open to judgment. You may think, “The Art Therapist will critique or judge how I can’t draw and how bad my art looks.”. This can lead to feelings of discomfort, inadequacy, and embarrassment. No, thank you! But consider where else in your life those feelings interfere with your functioning.
Struggles with perfectionism. If you’re forecasting that your art will look bad, you’re vulnerable to someone’s critique of how bad you think it looks. Your feelings may increase the pressure you put on yourself to do it right. However, in Art Therapy, there is no right or wrong way to express yourself with the art materials.
It’s in Art Therapy where your pattern of avoidance may pop up. It can feel safer to avoid doing anything with a potentially negative outcome. Or avoid anything where someone could judge your ability as less than perfect. This all stirs a thought of not being good enough, and a fear of rejection.
Talking in therapy can help you with these issues, however, an Art Therapist can help you with these issues differently.
All the issues mentioned above are issues to work on in therapy. These are issues that can impact your work performance. They can interfere with your relationships and most definitely feed anxiety symptoms. These issues can be hard to talk about. Art Therapy allows you to bring them to the table quite literally and engage with them.
Anxiety involves a lot of overthinking.
When you are trying to talk about your anxiety, you’re thinking about what to say and how to explain.
Art Therapy is more about responding to your feelings and your experiences.
Art Therapy processes can help you look at your perfectionism.
It’s good to want to make improvements in your life and to work toward excellence. It's also good to learn some compassion for yourself.
Art Therapy is an invitation to do something imperfectly and love yourself anyway. It’s an opportunity to release some of your harsh self-judgment about what is messy or broken.
What is the Effectiveness of Art Therapy for Anxiety in Adults?
A 2019 Random Controlled Trial study (RCT), conducted by Abbing, Baars, de Sonneville, Ponstein, and Swaab, concluded Art Therapy can reduce anxiety symptoms. The women who participated reported experiencing positive changes in their emotional regulation. The study highlighted the “acceptance of emotions” that improved. The study doesn’t discuss what emotions became more accepted.
The study was with adult women only, so results can’t be generalized to men, teens, or children. Yet, there are art therapists worldwide who use art therapy to help people of all ages, and from all walks of life, dealing with all types of issues.
Can’t I just do Art Therapy at home to Overcome My Anxiety?
I highly recommend creating art on your own at home. In my own experience, art-making can be a meditative and restorative time. A time when you are relaxed, but focused. Other hobbies have this quality as well. But, this is not therapy, it’s self-care.
The power of Art Therapy is the relationship of trust built with a caring therapist. Art Therapy is a mental health specialty. No matter how many YouTube or TikTok videos you watch, therapy is not a DIY thing.
The effectiveness of Art Therapy goes far beyond the relaxation of something you do at home. You're working with a licensed mental health provider who can diagnose and treat. They can guide you through processes and interventions targeted to address your anxiety.
Free Consultation for Anxiety Therapy in San Marcos, CA
I hope this blog provided some insight into how Art Therapy can be helpful in the treatment of anxiety. My name is Tami, and I'm a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Registered Art Therapist who provides in-person Art Therapy in San Marcos, CA.