5 Art Therapy Classes: Can Working Women Benefit From It?

Listening to a friend’s recent ordeal left me in deep thought. She had a corporate job and was doing well at work. She juggled multiple responsibilities, resulting in a skewed work-life balance. All this had led to burnout, leaving her emotionally and physically drained. When I heard this, I suggested that she take up art therapy, which aims to help individuals cope with emotional and mental challenges.

I have seen two very close friends who despite achieving several professional accolades were constantly stressed and anxious and similar situations. After enrolling in art therapy, they found it to be cathartic and helped them explore emotions, cope with stress, boost self-esteem and more.

In this article, we will understand how art therapy can help women and the best places that in India to seek session.

Art therapy takes inspiration from the idea that self-expression can promote healing and mental well-being. The use of artistic methods to treat mental health issues is known as art therapy.

It encourages people to express themselves, gain personal insight, develop coping skills and even improve social skills through a creative process.

Various types of therapy uses art and its techniques include colouring, drawing, finger painting, doodling, scribbling, collage, photography, working with clay, etc. As one creates a piece of art, one may be able to analyse what they have made and how it makes one feel.

Who can benefit from art therapy?

Art therapy treats a whole range of psychological disorders. Professional therapists also use it with other forms of therapy like group therapy or CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy).

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Art therapy can treat

• • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Emotional Challenges
  • Eating disorders
  • Family or relationship issues
  • Stress
  • Substance use disorder
  • PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
  • Psychosocial issues
  • Medical conditions
  • Cancer

Advantages of art therapy for working women

• It can be stressful, whether working from home or in an office. But expressing ourselves through art can be cathartic for many. The repetitive motions involved in different techniques like doodling, drawing, or sculpting can be calming and help soothe the mind.
• Art is a great way to get in touch with your feelings. For those experiences which are particularly challenging and can’t be expressed in words, art acts as an effective medium to express those thoughts.
• It can help in mood improvement and helps in reducing anxiety.
• The best part is, you need not be artistic or have any special talent to participate in art therapy. It can benefit people of all age groups.
• It focuses on a person’s inner experience rather than the finished product and allows people to focus on their perceptions, feelings and imagination.

Places where you can get art therapy

• Anantaraa- Arts Based Therapy- Andheri West, Mumbai

At Anantaraa, you can enrol for a year-long art therapy course. Through this course, a person can achieve individualized goals through visual art.

This course also covers other forms of creative therapies like dance, drama, and music, providing an all-around experience.

• Sankalpa – Auroville, Pondicherry

The therapy sessions at Sankalpa aim to bridge art and intention and use them as tools for insight, growth, empowerment, healing, etc.

Here there are sessions for both individuals and groups. You are encouraged to create without judging your own or others’ works of art.

• Abhyaantar Healing Arts, New Delhi

Abhyaantar helps individuals and groups connect with themselves and unravel their authentic selves.

The therapy session at Abhyaantar uses EAT’s (expressive arts therapy) principles and techniques that combine visual art, dance, drama and creative writing, allowing clients to express and explore themselves fully.

• Arth Counselling and arts-based therapy, Mumbai

Arth provides therapy that helps individuals work on personal goals related to growth and wellness, sexuality and identity, coping with illnesses, and dealing with conflict or other issues.

You will need to make a prior appointment at Arth for a therapy session.

• Online sessions for art therapy

The best part of art therapy is that while you can avail of the services at the centres mentioned above at your convenience, you can also get help through online sessions.

Platforms like Udemy and Coursera have numerous courses on art therapy that focus on healing, relaxation and stress reduction.

Some examples are:- Art Therapy: Personal Development and Self Healing With Art & 30 Art Therapy Exercises to Unwind and Explore Your Mind on Udemy and Healing with the Arts on Coursera.

Takeaway

Art therapy is not about producing the next masterpiece, but aims to produce results in the lives of women who engage in it.  This therapy must be practised with an experienced professional.

With this article’s help, you can choose a counselling centre or online sessions to experience the myriad benefits’ art therapy has to offer working women.

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