Carmel
Art therapy Projects
reduce stress and anxiety
What is art therapy
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Art therapy uses art media, the creative process, and the resulting artwork as a therapeutic and healing process.
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Art therapy is one constructive way to express yourself, channel your frustration and anger, and calm your mind.
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Using different art materials and processes such as drawing, painting and ceramics, you can better understand and dive more deeply into your thoughts and feelings.
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Colors, lines and symbols are created to express internal states of emotion.
What art therapy can do for you
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Art Therapy can decrease stress and increase mood
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When you create art, it lowers your cortisol (or stress) level and can change the chemicals in your brain.
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Most people find it has a strong, calming effect.
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There are many studies that prove the power of art.
Art and Mindfulness
Mindfulness practices are utilized prior to each project. A meditative / relaxed state to increase the concentration of the art project.
Therapeutic Experience
I enjoy teaching and have many years of varied work experience with different levels of experience.
My years of experience with art therapy includes:
Watercolor painting for five years at an Adult Day Health Center, the focus was on calming anxiety and instilling better communications as a group while producing watercolors images using easy prompts.
Employed for 2 years as a Therapeutic Recreation Assistant in a mental health hospital using a focus on Art therapy. The varied mental health backgrounds required much behavior management as well as knowing the specific projects that would to appeal to this population. Many painting, drawing and collage projects were created as well as group projects to maintain social skills.
A show of works were submitted to a non -profit art show NAMI of Western Mass The inclusion of their art into the community fosters a positive attitude and support with these artists. They are recognized by their peers and people of their community.
Watercolor series was taught at a half way house as a grant funded art therapy project.
Here the residents were encouraged to use color and abstract techniques. A group project was completed and hung at the house.
Currently doing art therapeutic projects for an assisted living center. Here various projects are created to coincide with themes of the month. Leaf prints to coincide with a poem about fall. Printing has therapeutic effects such as using color and calming pressing rubbing a leaf onto paper while observing all the detail of the leaf too. Apple pie is a treat to be served so a collage of an apple pie is created while discussing memories of apples or apple pie.
Workshops in my home studio:
Introduction to Monotypes and gelli plate printmaking all by appointment.
Westfield Cultural Council Grant Funded Green Printmaking 2020 and 2021 to community members of Westfield, Ma
Mobile Custom Art Therapy Projects
Accepting on location projects for 6 participants only
supplies included 2 hours
$150 for acrylic painting projects
$120 for watercolor painting projects
$90 Paper projects collage, drawing, art journals