How Expressive Arts Promotes Emotional Health
Whether engaging in studio art, performance art, music or poetry, the arts are an integral part of emotional healing and expressing oneself. These creative outlets can lower anxiety, improve self-esteem and sharpen social skills. In a time where social activities are put to a halt and we’re adjusting to social distancing, expressive arts are an excellent way to bring calm and stability to our lives. If you’re considering a career in family and Social Services, Music Therapy, Dance Therapy, Drama Therapy or a similar field, read on to learn how you can help others promote emotional health through expressive arts.
Creating a Positive Mindset
COVID-19 has certainly exacerbated the difficulties of our daily lives, making it challenging to keep an open and positive mind. Through the use of expressive arts therapy, we are able to better discover ourselves which leads to an increase in self-esteem and a positive mind. Poetry, song, and painting help to let go of negative emotions and clear our minds.
Developing Social Skills
A majority of the arts can be practiced in groups which means everyone is getting support from one another and practicing the arts free from judgement. Trust between peers and teachers are formed. Along with this, empathy and connection are formed, and we learn to accept everyone’s perceptions even if they differ from our own.
Getting in Touch with Our Feelings
It can be difficult to properly convey our emotions verbally, especially when dealing with a great amount of stress. Through expressive arts therapy, we put emotions into various forms of art to depict a specific feeling. Tapping into new emotions that we may not have even known we were feeling is also common and is a stepping stone to emotional healing.
Explore Expressive Arts Therapy at LIHSA
Through our Expressive Arts & Human Development program, you will learn about developmental health, community building, various artistic techniques and how to improve the quality of life for everyone. Our courses will also help you get prepared for undergraduate programs in the expressive arts so you can feel confident entering higher education programs.
Some of our courses include:
- The Art of Wellness: Visual Arts
- Responding to Sound: Music and Voice
- The Act of Health: Drama and Performance
- Health in Motion: Dance and Movement
- Healing Spaces: Indoor Environments