30 Art Therapy Exercises to Unwind and Explore Your Mind

Assemble a collage from mixed papers, apply glue, create torn edges with a waterline guide, and consider composition to finish a meaningful artwork.

Trace around a circular object to form overlapping circles on paper. Add color and pattern with color pencils, then reflect on what's working and what to change.

Create a painting using shades of your favorite color to unwind, exploring your mind through representational or abstract art guided by a resource image.

Practicing circle-based abstract painting to boost color use, composition, and painting skills through a relaxing, mindful layering of overlapping circles, background color options, and embellished line patterns.

Create a simple thank you card using gel pens and markers, crafting a straightforward design and writing a heartfelt message to thank a special person in your life.

Explore the instructor's demonstration of a grateful tree art therapy exercise, using a resource image, drying techniques, gratitude words with a pen, and color markers to promote healing.

Explore how lifetime events shape you through a spiral drawing from the center outward, using art materials and reflection to identify growth areas and counselling needs.

Unwind and relax your mind with art exercises that reduce stress and ease anxiety, alcohol ink activities such as do not drink, what's in a name, and words with meaning.

Practice a guided eye-closed drawing exercise to unwind and explore your mind, then refine shapes and colors with open eyes, finishing with a reflective, completed artwork.

Create a maze on black paper with white marker to unwind and explore. Draw a path with dead-ends, outline walls in white, erase pencil lines, and share with a friend.

Create a collage on large paper using a glue stick to prevent buckling, choose colors from available materials, and enjoy the finished art activity.

Draw rectangular windows with a hinge, label them, and fill the boundary with imagery. Cut the windows open to reveal behind each opening affirmations, images, or symbols.

Follow along as the instructor demonstrates creating window panels in artwork with markers, a craft knife, cutting mat, and pin to reveal the paper beneath, art therapy activity to unwind.

Protect your workspace and prepare your materials, then explore alcohol ink techniques with metallic mixatives, gold acrylic ink, and gold marker in this art therapy exercise, ending with finished examples.

Engage in a therapeutic art exercise by drawing a large heart around your hand, writing proud moments on the hand, forgiveness in the heart, and commitments in the negative space.

Create a therapeutic collage of human figures from magazines, arranged with perspective, glued onto a background, then painted to highlight or silhouette figures, exploring personal meaning.