3 art therapy exercises to do at home

Art therapy is a form of treatment that allows for expression beyond words. It gives you a chance to look at your problems in a different way and learn more about yourself. Today I thought I'd share three different exercises you can do at home. I've included examples of my own work.

1. Create an image of inside your head.

What does it look like inside of you? Create a piece that represents what is going on internally. This can be as abstract or as concrete as you'd like. Collage words and images or just find colors that represent your feelings. I made this one at a time when I was feeling particularly overwhelmed.

2. Let words inspire you.

Look to words to inspire an image. Find a quote, song lyric, affirmation or other words that speak to you. Create something to represent it. You may or may not want to use the actual words in the piece. I used a quote by Drew Barrymore: "In the end, some of your greatest pains become your greatest strengths."

3. Make an altered book.

Take an old book and create art on the pages inside. You can use words that are on the page as part of your art, or you can just work over them. There are an unlimited number of ways you can do this project. I've found that this visual journaling can be a great way of tracking my progress. For some practical instructions, look here and for inspiration of how your pages can look, go here.

Art therapy can be both relaxing and really hard work. If you start to feel overwhelmed, take a break. You don't have to actually finish a piece if it's bringing up too much. Creating art, especially as a part of your treatment, can be very powerful and informative. Bring your pieces in to therapy to give your therapist a chance to see what you are experiencing in a whole new way.

Want to share what you've made? Link to your images in the comments.