But for those who just need a hobby to help them chill out, these books could be the ticket. Want to fill in some pages? Keep in mind, if you’re dealing with significant mental or emotional issues, art therapy is going to be more effective than coloring solo. It feels safer and it creates containment around their process,” she adds. It can be particularly effective for people who aren’t comfortable with more creatively expressive forms of art, says Berberian, “My experience has been that those participants who are more guarded find a lot of tranquility in coloring an image. Just like meditation, coloring also allows us to switch off our brains from other thoughts and focus only on the moment, helping to alleviate free-floating anxiety. Simply doodling, though, had no effect in reducing the other subjects’ stress levels.
Groundbreaking research in 2005 proved anxiety levels dropped when subjects colored mandalas, which are round frames with geometric patterns inside. “Coloring definitely has therapeutic potential to reduce anxiety, create focus or bring more mindfulness,” says Berberian. The Health Benefits of Adult Coloring Booksĭespite the fact that coloring and art therapy aren’t quite the same thing, coloring does offer a slew of mental benefits. And while art therapy was first practiced in the 1940s, the first research on using coloring as therapy is generally believed to have only begun as recently the mid 90s, according to Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association.ĭailyBurn: 9 Weight Loss Success Stories You’re Going to Want to See “Coloring itself cannot be called art therapy because art therapy relies on the relationship between the client and the therapist,” says Marygrace Berberian, a certified art therapist and the Clinical Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator for the Graduate Art Therapy Program at NYU. However, it is important to note that using an adult coloring book is not exactly the same as completing an art therapy session. (Don’t think you need therapy? Here’s why you should take a mental health day now) Yet art therapy is not only about learning and improving yourself - it’s a means of personal expression, too.ĭailyBurn: 21 Meal Prep Pics from the Healthiest People on Instagram Coloring books for adults are topping bestseller listsĭailyBurn: The One Thing That Helped Me Lose WeightĪrt Therapy, Adult Coloring Books and Your Mental HealthĪccording to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is a mental health profession in which the process of making and creating artwork is used to “explore feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety and increase self-esteem.” So basically, it’s similar to good old therapy.
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