Art Therapy in Recovery

ART THERAPY IN RECOVERY

Being creative promotes a state of ‘flow’. Which can be like the act of meditation. This is good news for those who want to be successful in recovery but do not like meditation or find it challenging.

Creative expression workshops are used to help you recognize your emotions and connect with them. Also, processing feelings such as guilt and shame which are often present in people struggling with addiction.

Art, writing, or music can be used to help you to both recognize and describe how you feel. Creative workshops can be a good start for people to gradually open up and process painful experiences. Remember, you do not have to be an artist to practice creative expression.

WHAT IS CREATIVE EXPRESSION?

Ways to use creativity in your healing process are keeping a journal, painting, music, and even dance. The simple answer to who they’re for is – everyone.

Using creative outlets can have a significant therapeutic effect. Different materials and techniques can give you a voice you might not have otherwise had. The importance is not focused on these emotions being named, but instead allowing yourself the opportunity for your feelings to flow through you onto the paper, or into anything you create, offering a sense of release.

We offer varieties of creative expression workshops at The Lighthouse Bali, which can involve aspects of Music, Art and Drama depending on each client’s interests and journey. Below, are some examples of creative expressions, and their benefits in supporting you through your journey in recovery.

Music

Music is incredibly emotional, which is no wonder why it can be used as a process for self-expression and therapy. Immersing yourself within music and expressing your emotions through song writing, playing an instrument or dancing is a great way to allow you to acknowledge your feelings and learn about yourself on a deeper level. In early recovery our dopamine levels are usually unbalanced. Music provides a healthy experience with natural dopamine.

Music Therapy can reduce physical pain and stress, decrease anxiety and depression, reduce feelings of loneliness, increase focus, and improve sleep.

Art

For people starting their journey in recovery, the hardest thing to express sometimes is not emotional pain or distressing memories, but in fact, hope. The process of creating art can promote a sense of positivity and freedom.

Through our art workshops at The Lighthouse Bali, you can explore and visualize your authentic self, while developing new rewarding expressive abilities.

Examples of Art workshops are Synaesthesia painting (responding to music through paint), self-portraiture, landscape painting, or the creation of vision boards. These artistic activities promote lasting mental health, and help combat the chemical imbalances in the brain that may lead to depression.