Creativity isn’t just about creating visually appealing artwork or cultivating talent; it’s a way we tap into the deepest parts of ourselves and connect with the world around us. The healing power of art – whether that be drawing, knitting, painting, or dancing – offers a form of self-expression and reflection, allowing us to process our thoughts and emotions through something tangible. 

The benefits of creativity go far beyond pretty things and have a deep, profound effect on our lives. In this blog post, I’ve taken a deep dive into the healing power of creativity and the therapeutic benefits it offers all of us.

Therapeutic Benefits of Creativity – The Healing Power of Art

1.    Express Yourself

It’s what creativity is all about, right? Expressing your creativity (in whatever form that is) offers space to open up to your most authentic self. Don’t hold back! Through artistic mediums, you learn how to trust yourself and the power this holds. Self-expression helps lower stress, gives you a sense of achievement, and builds self-love and confidence that can be applied to all areas of your life.

2.    Emotional Healing

On a deeper level, expressing your inner world is a beautiful way to promote emotional strength and well-being. I know the struggles of bottling in difficult emotions or feeling like you don’t have an outlet for expressing yourself. My watercolor practice has become a pillar in my self-care routine. It’s a sacred time for me to slow down, find my calm, and vocalize my inner world without self-judgment. 

Putting your heart and soul into creative pursuits gives space for inner thoughts and emotions to exist outside of yourself. This is especially impactful for uncomfortable feelings that words just can’t describe. By giving form to these feelings through art, you learn how to manage emotions in a healthy, healing way rather than suppressing them.

3.    Find Your Flow

You can tap into a ‘flow state’ by engaging in creative acts that are meaningful and exciting to you. Finding your flow is a zen state of mind where you are totally entranced with what you’re doing. There’s an effortless concentration, the mind’s chatter fades away, and all that matters is the present moment. Achieving this level of focus comes with massive benefits, including an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction in your work and the relief of daily stresses and negative thoughts.  

4.    More Mindfulness

If you’re struggling to get in the zone or find your flow, try mindfulness instead. Like the flow state, mindfulness encourages you to be present and release judgment of the work in progress. Mindfulness is something I instill into my own watercolor practice as well as my courses and live classes because it has so many transformative benefits. 

Studies have found that mindfulness positively affects our overall well-being and happiness. For me, creating mindfully (and taking time to breathe!) has strengthened my self-trust, so I can freely let my creative intuition take me where I need to go. It’s also a sure-fire way to get you feeling calm!

5.    Dopamine Boost

A common thread behind creativity’s biggest benefits is *drumroll* … having fun! Making art is one of the healthiest ways to raise your dopamine levels, which ultimately decreases stress and increases joy. Think back to when you were a kid, making art with whatever supplies you had or creating a fantastical story just because it’s fun. There were no worries, no self-doubt, and no self-imposed judgments. 

The lesson here? Focus less on stress and creating ‘a perfect piece’ and more on having fun, being silly, and flexing your creative muscles. 

6.     Creative Calm

One of my favorite therapeutic benefits of creating artwork is the immediate sense of calm you feel. With watercolor, my stress melts away when I focus on the movement of the paint, the beautiful colors and shapes that take form, and the feeling of the brush on paper. The quickest way to find calm is through your breath. Breathing effectively activates your parasympathetic nervous system (the rest and digest response), which is essential for processing emotions and clearing your headspace so you can reach a steady state of calm. 

Find an art medium or creative activity that makes you feel at ease and turn to it regularly as part of your self-care routine!

7.    Mind-Body Connection

Creativity isn’t limited to just mental and emotional benefits! The interconnection of mind and body means that art can promote physical wellness too. When I really want to get into my body, I stand up and let my whole body move while painting… It helps if you get a really large sheet of paper. N(no need to splurge!, Bbutcher paper will do 🙂 I find that once I start moving my body, my thoughts tend to start moving too. Before you know it I’ve been able to get out of the spiral and come back to a more stable mental landscape. Creativity also stimulates the brain, helping improve memory, problem-solving skills, and improve overall cognitive function. A win-win for the mind and body! 

8.    Release Control

While, on the one hand, art provides a sense of autonomy and self-empowerment, it also encourages us to let go of the reins when we can. Watercolor is an unpredictable medium with a mind of its own. Throughout the years, I’ve learned to give up control when painting and follow the flow that’s naturally occurring. I think of it as co-creating with watercolor in a constant push – pull of suggesting an outcome and accepting the flow. It always turns out how it’s supposed to, even if I don’t want to frame the finished piece! Embracing this fluidity on the page allows me to let go of the stress and instead, start to trust the flow in my life off the page.

Leaning into the Creative Process

There you have it! 8 powerful ways to cultivate the healing power of art. Now, all you have left is to lean into the creative process and find out where it takes you.

Find Your Medium:

We are all creative. Whether your passion is cooking, writing, business, gardening, painting, or interior design—anything you put out into the world is a creative act! Remember that art is everywhere. So let go of what you think “art” should be and embrace that art can be anything you want. 

Every day, find ways to be creative and pay special attention to what resonates with you. What creative act(s) fills your cup? They can be big or small. What matters most is how it makes you feel. 

Welcome Imperfection: 

You’ll face trials and errors with any creative avenue you take, and that’s the magic of it! There is no wrong way to create, so follow your intuition and trust the process. The end result isn’t what matters—it’s the journey along the way!

Follow Your Intuition: Intuitive Watercolor for Relaxation and Stress Relief 

If you’re curious about starting watercolor or feel called to pick up a paintbrush, I highly encourage checking out the rest of my site. I have tons of free resources from blog posts on how to gain confidence as an artist as well as YouTube videos where I feature watercolor meditations, process videos, and painting tips. Check out the 5 suggestions below to help you unwind and relax into your creative flow. If you are ready to dive deeper, I offer watercolor techniques and how to create intuitively with my foundational six week live-online watercolor series throughout the year. Check out my learn page to see more.