Get Stress Relief with Art Therapy in Austin, TX
Get Stress Relief from Art Therapy in Austin, TX
By Erika Mehlhaff
Experiencing art is vital for everyone; there is great value in it. With art therapy, Austin's own Art From The Streets makes available the experience of real life benefits to all, particularly the city's most marginalized residents. From painting in downtown Austin and through various hospitable resources and tools, AFTS art therapy sessions and open studios help serve as a form of self-care. Take your mind off of stressors in your life. Artistic expression and it's therapeutic effects often contributes to greater overall happiness and mental well-being. This is key, as stress is one of the world’s most ubiquitous negative health and wellness issues.
Art therapy is beneficial to human health and wellness. It has a positive impact on both physical and mental well-being. Art has been found to impact physical health positively by boosting immune function, helping with chronic pain management, and more. Art also has a positive impact on mental health, having been proven to help relieve stress. It decreases stress levels and promotes mental calmness.
Many studies have been done that show that art therapy has a positive connection to mental health. The art activities (e.g., sculpting, painting, drawing, etc.) Austin's premier art non-profit offer are well-documented: lower stress levels and promote serenity. Creating art provides a relaxing distraction from the troubles and worries of everyday life--they are set aside as one’s focus turns to the creative process.
- RELATED: “Art Activities for Stress Relief” by Elizabeth Scott, PhD
Visual art in particular has been proven to have positive effects on the human brain, especially as it relates to mental health. Many studies regarding art and stress levels conducted over the years present data that shows that creating visual art can significantly reduce stress levels. When people participate in creating or even viewing art, they tend to experience a decrease in the levels of the stress hormone known as cortisol. This is why we call it art therapy.
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Homelessness is a major stressor for countless individuals and families across the globe. In Austin, Texas, art therapy is at the core of our non-profit organization. Art From the Streets is helping mitigate the stress of homelessness by providing access to art to transient people. Click here to learn more about why you should support Art From the Streets. |
Art therapy has been used as a positive stress reliever for years. It can relieve feelings of mental strain and hardship for people of every age and stage of life. Its benefits are becoming more widely known and understood, making art a common choice as an alternative treatment for dealing with stress and other mental health conditions. Art serves a different purpose for every individual; in most cases, it allows people to process their life circumstances and the associated anxiety-inducing emotions in a way that provides stress relief through art. People can relax with more art in their lives.
- To learn more about mental health awareness and the healing power of art, check out “Using Art to Help Individuals with Mental Illness” by Renee Phillips.
Art From the Streets is an Austin-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was established in 1991 to give transient people a way to develop as artists and to use their creativity to climb out of homelessness. Purchasing artwork supports the artists directly. Donating to our program helps us to offer a free Open Studio for the currently homeless and others at risk of becoming homeless.