By Staff Writer: Caitlin Daugherty
When you imagine a therapy session, what first comes to mind? Maybe a stuffy office with a psychiatrist in glasses writing down everything you say while you lay on a couch. Or is it a Zoom meeting where you’re lying on your bed, and your therapist can’t figure out how to unmute herself? Many people are scared off from therapy because of their previous misconceptions or negative experiences. Still, art therapy, the practice of expressing complex emotions and finding purpose in life again after the loss of a loved one through creativity, can be another outlet to process grief.
While traditional forms of therapy can be helpful with navigating grief, art therapy is beneficial for finding your center again. For example, listening to music has been scientifically proven to calm anxiety and improve mood. Individuals who undergo art therapy can do so in a group under the supervision of a therapist. Still, many also choose to create art independently instead of with a psychologist.
Creative arts are an excellent way of remembering the dearly departed. Many in art therapy choose to write letters to their loved ones and either keep them or burn them to symbolize allowing them to move on from their grief. Other forms of artistic expression, such as painting, poetry, singing, dancing, or journaling, can have the same effect. You can create photo collages to have a memorial of your loved one. Or, if you’re particularly bold, you can have a tattoo dedicated to your loved one.
Whether singing a beloved one’s favorite song or writing a poem dedicated to them, creating and sharing your art can be an outlet to express grief healthily. Traditional therapy isn’t for everyone, but it is essential to always seek treatment first before trying other methods, such as art therapy.