Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy Groups
How Art and Mindfulness Group Therapy Can Improve Mental Health
Art and mindfulness group therapy is a powerful combination that taps into creativity and present-moment awareness to help manage mental health symptoms. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, or stress, this approach offers a different way to heal—one that involves more than just talking.
Here’s why it works:
1. Creative Expression Without Words
Sometimes, words just aren’t enough to describe what you’re feeling. Art allows you to express emotions in ways that go beyond talking. Whether through drawing, painting, or crafting, creating something with your hands can help release emotions you might not even realize you’re holding onto. In a group setting, you get to share your creations in a safe space, which can make you feel understood on a deeper level.
2. Mindfulness Brings You Back to the Present
Mindfulness is all about being present in the moment, which can be incredibly grounding when your mind is racing or stuck in the past. In group therapy, mindfulness practices help you slow down and focus on what’s happening right now. Whether you’re practicing breathing exercises, body scans, or mindful art-making, these techniques can help reduce anxiety and bring a sense of calm to your day.
3. A Break from Overthinking
Both art and mindfulness have a way of getting you out of your head. When you’re focused on creating something or simply being present, it gives your mind a break from overthinking or worrying about the future. This mental break can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and make you feel more balanced.
4. Connecting with Others in a New Way
Sharing creative experiences with others in a group can be a bonding experience. You’re not just talking—you’re creating and being mindful together, which opens up new ways to connect. This can help build a sense of community and belonging, which is essential for mental health. Plus, seeing how others interpret the same mindfulness practice or art prompt can inspire and motivate you in your own healing journey.
5. Building Coping Skills
Both art and mindfulness give you practical tools you can use in everyday life. Art becomes a way to express emotions and manage stress, while mindfulness helps you stay grounded when things get tough. In a group setting, you get to practice these skills with others and learn new techniques that you can take with you long after the session ends.
6. Boosting Self-Esteem and Confidence
Creating something with your hands, even if it’s not perfect, can boost your self-esteem. The process of making art can remind you of your own creativity and abilities. When you combine that with mindfulness, which encourages self-compassion, you start to build a healthier relationship with yourself. This can be especially helpful if you’re struggling with self-worth or negative self-talk.
In short, art and mindfulness group therapy works because it helps you connect with yourself and others in new, healing ways. It combines the power of creativity with the calming effects of mindfulness to reduce mental health symptoms and promote a sense of balance and well-being.
How Art and Mindfulness Group Therapy Can Improve Mental Health
Art and mindfulness group therapy is a powerful combination that taps into creativity and present-moment awareness to help manage mental health symptoms. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, or stress, this approach offers a different way to heal—one that involves more than just talking.
Here’s why it works:
1. Creative Expression Without Words
Sometimes, words just aren’t enough to describe what you’re feeling. Art allows you to express emotions in ways that go beyond talking. Whether through drawing, painting, or crafting, creating something with your hands can help release emotions you might not even realize you’re holding onto. In a group setting, you get to share your creations in a safe space, which can make you feel understood on a deeper level.
2. Mindfulness Brings You Back to the Present
Mindfulness is all about being present in the moment, which can be incredibly grounding when your mind is racing or stuck in the past. In group therapy, mindfulness practices help you slow down and focus on what’s happening right now. Whether you’re practicing breathing exercises, body scans, or mindful art-making, these techniques can help reduce anxiety and bring a sense of calm to your day.
1. Creative Expression Without Words
Sometimes, words just aren’t enough to describe what you’re feeling. Art allows you to express emotions in ways that go beyond talking. Whether through drawing, painting, or crafting, creating something with your hands can help release emotions you might not even realize you’re holding onto. In a group setting, you get to share your creations in a safe space, which can make you feel understood on a deeper level.
2. Mindfulness Brings You Back to the Present
Mindfulness is all about being present in the moment, which can be incredibly grounding when your mind is racing or stuck in the past. In group therapy, mindfulness practices help you slow down and focus on what’s happening right now. Whether you’re practicing breathing exercises, body scans, or mindful art-making, these techniques can help reduce anxiety and bring a sense of calm to your day.
1. Creative Expression Without Words
Sometimes, words just aren’t enough to describe what you’re feeling. Art allows you to express emotions in ways that go beyond talking. Whether through drawing, painting, or crafting, creating something with your hands can help release emotions you might not even realize you’re holding onto. In a group setting, you get to share your creations in a safe space, which can make you feel understood on a deeper level.
2. Mindfulness Brings You Back to the Present
Mindfulness is all about being present in the moment, which can be incredibly grounding when your mind is racing or stuck in the past. In group therapy, mindfulness practices help you slow down and focus on what’s happening right now. Whether you’re practicing breathing exercises, body scans, or mindful art-making, these techniques can help reduce anxiety and bring a sense of calm to your day.
3. A Break from Overthinking
Both art and mindfulness have a way of getting you out of your head. When you’re focused on creating something or simply being present, it gives your mind a break from overthinking or worrying about the future. This mental break can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and make you feel more balanced.
4. Connecting with Others in a New Way
Sharing creative experiences with others in a group can be a bonding experience. You’re not just talking—you’re creating and being mindful together, which opens up new ways to connect. This can help build a sense of community and belonging, which is essential for mental health. Plus, seeing how others interpret the same mindfulness practice or art prompt can inspire and motivate you in your own healing journey.
3. A Break from Overthinking
Both art and mindfulness have a way of getting you out of your head. When you’re focused on creating something or simply being present, it gives your mind a break from overthinking or worrying about the future. This mental break can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and make you feel more balanced.
4. Connecting with Others in a New Way
Sharing creative experiences with others in a group can be a bonding experience. You’re not just talking—you’re creating and being mindful together, which opens up new ways to connect. This can help build a sense of community and belonging, which is essential for mental health. Plus, seeing how others interpret the same mindfulness practice or art prompt can inspire and motivate you in your own healing journey.
5. Building Coping Skills
Both art and mindfulness give you practical tools you can use in everyday life. Art becomes a way to express emotions and manage stress, while mindfulness helps you stay grounded when things get tough. In a group setting, you get to practice these skills with others and learn new techniques that you can take with you long after the session ends.
6. Boosting Self-Esteem and Confidence
Creating something with your hands, even if it’s not perfect, can boost your self-esteem. The process of making art can remind you of your own creativity and abilities. When you combine that with mindfulness, which encourages self-compassion, you start to build a healthier relationship with yourself. This can be especially helpful if you’re struggling with self-worth or negative self-talk.
In short, art and mindfulness group therapy works because it helps you connect with yourself and others in new, healing ways. It combines the power of creativity with the calming effects of mindfulness to reduce mental health symptoms and promote a sense of balance and well-being.
5. Building Coping Skills
Both art and mindfulness give you practical tools you can use in everyday life. Art becomes a way to express emotions and manage stress, while mindfulness helps you stay grounded when things get tough. In a group setting, you get to practice these skills with others and learn new techniques that you can take with you long after the session ends.
6. Boosting Self-Esteem and Confidence
Creating something with your hands, even if it’s not perfect, can boost your self-esteem. The process of making art can remind you of your own creativity and abilities. When you combine that with mindfulness, which encourages self-compassion, you start to build a healthier relationship with yourself. This can be especially helpful if you’re struggling with self-worth or negative self-talk.
In short, art and mindfulness group therapy works because it helps you connect with yourself and others in new, healing ways. It combines the power of creativity with the calming effects of mindfulness to reduce mental health symptoms and promote a sense of balance and well-being.
5. Building Coping Skills
Both art and mindfulness give you practical tools you can use in everyday life. Art becomes a way to express emotions and manage stress, while mindfulness helps you stay grounded when things get tough. In a group setting, you get to practice these skills with others and learn new techniques that you can take with you long after the session ends.
6. Boosting Self-Esteem and Confidence
Creating something with your hands, even if it’s not perfect, can boost your self-esteem. The process of making art can remind you of your own creativity and abilities. When you combine that with mindfulness, which encourages self-compassion, you start to build a healthier relationship with yourself. This can be especially helpful if you’re struggling with self-worth or negative self-talk.
In short, art and mindfulness group therapy works because it helps you connect with yourself and others in new, healing ways. It combines the power of creativity with the calming effects of mindfulness to reduce mental health symptoms and promote a sense of balance and well-being.
Teen & Young Adult Group (Ages: 14-26)
Program Details:
- Duration: 8 sessions
- Focus Areas: Trauma psychoeducation, emotional regulation, cognitive coping skills, individualized trauma narratives, in vivo exposure, group processing, and closure.
Learn More About Mental Health
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is characterized by symptoms that often develop after we go through a traumatic incident. These symptoms can include feelings of depression and anxiety, intense fear, difficulty relaxing, constantly looking for potential threats, intrusive memories of the trauma, nightmares, and difficulty concentrating. Our therapists are trained in state-of-the-art trauma therapy, helping clients to improve their symptoms and ability to function in everyday life.
Depression
Do you feel sad or depressed much of the time? Are you exhausted, despite getting enough sleep? Do you feel as though you have lost your motivation to accomplish your goals, succeed at work, parent, etc? Depression is characterized by these feelings, as well as changes in your eating and sleeping habits, difficulty concentrating, and feeling worthless or not good enough. Sometimes, depression can be associated with thoughts of suicide or self-harm. Our therapists provide support to help you feel better and enjoy life again.
Work/Life Balance
Do you struggle with the ability to find the balance between your marriage, parenting, work, friendships, interests, and hobbies? In the last few years, as work has moved from in the office to remote, it has been hard to create a boundary between work and your personal life. We can help to create a plan to help restore a healthy work and personal life. We can work with you to put that plan into action, setting small goals, and leading toward creating a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
LGBTQI+
We are allies of the LGBTIQ+ community and recognize the diverse needs and support individuals need. We have worked with clients in the process of transitioning their gender, who are looking for support with managing the effects of hormones, changes in relationships, and community support. We understand while individuals may come into counseling for any number of reasons not related to sexuality, such as depression, anxiety, and trauma, the LGBTIQ+ community has its own set of unique challenges as well. We are here to support our clients and provide a safe space to cope with stigma, discrimination, and mental health issues.
Relationships Problems
If you are struggling in your relationship, therapy can help! We address communication issues, emotional and physical intimacy, and creating a deeper more meaningful relationship with your partner. If stress is affecting your relationship, we can help to create a plan to address and improve both of your stress management skills.
Family Therapy
The goal of family therapy is to help improve your relationship with your spouse, partner, children, or parents. It addresses how the family deals with stress or problems, and improves communication and understanding.
Insomnia
Do you have trouble either falling or staying asleep? Have you tried doctors, medications, herbal supplements, and internet recommendations, without any real change in your ability to sleep and feel rested? Our therapists are trained in CBT-I, which is a state-of-the-art therapy that is very effective for insomnia. This is a relatively quick therapy, with fast results!
Anxiety
When anxiety becomes a problem, people can find themselves constantly worrying or afraid. They can feel physiological symptoms such as difficulty breathing, shakiness, rapid heart rate, exhaustion, and difficulty eating or sleeping normally. If you are struggling with anxiety, our therapists are trained in Mindfulness Based Therapy, which has been shown to be extremely effective in treating anxiety.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Do you struggle with unwanted and unreasonable thoughts that can cause you to feel anxiety? Thoughts can be related to contamination of germs, fears that you left your stove on in your house, fear of saying things because they may come true, or other distressing thoughts. These distressing thoughts then cause compulsions or repeated behaviors to manage them. Behaviors can include
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- Repeated checking of the stove, locks, or appliances, even if you know it is off or locked,
- Frequently hand washing, even to the point of rashes or skin irritation,
- Compulsive list making
- Superstitious behavior
- Compulsive hair pulling
- Compulsive collecting or difficulty getting rid of things
- Needing to repeat a routine, such as opening or closing a door
Grief/Loss
It is inevitable that at some point in our life, we will experience the grief of losing someone we love. It is normal for grief to affect our relationships, work, motivation, and outlook on life. While grief is a very normal process, it can be helpful to have some additional support from therapists who understand the process, and help guide you in your healing process.
Stress Management
Stress is a big issue this day, whether it is from work, family, or life in general. Stress can cause a whole host of medical and mental health issues, such as upset stomach, headaches, pain, and muscle tension. Long term, stress can seriously affect our health, leading to heart attacks, IBS, Stokes, and cancer. Our therapists can teach you healthy ways to manage and decrease stress. Our focus is on creating balance and wellness in your life. If stress is caused by other mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD, we can help to treat both issues in therapy.
Sexual Dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction is a scientific term for problems with desire, pain, and orgasm during sex. Clients seek help when they have problems maintaining an erection or having an orgasm before they are ready. Clients might also have problems feeling desire towards their partner or sex in general. Or maybe you feel pain during sex, which doesn’t have any type of medical cause. Our therapists can help to diagnose and treat many different sexual dysfunctions that cannot be addressed by medical professionals.
Couples Counseling
Are you struggling with your relationship? Is it hard to talk about what is going on? Do you start fighting about one thing with your partner, only to find that you are fighting about something else entirely? Would you like to feel closer to your spouse? Our therapists can help improve communication.