Embedding Arts Practices In Our Everyday Lives

By Maddie Pivonka

As people around the world move towards a more holistic mindset or “one that involves the mind, body, and spirit,” the arts are being utilized more and more to enhance our view on public healthcare and how we can individually support our own well-being. To gain a clearer understanding of the employment of the “the arts” and “arts therapy” within the everyday lives of students, practicing artists, and the general public, I began an exploration into this topic, which I have outlined below.

My exploration will begin by defining what arts fields are currently involved in the intersectional dialogues about wellbeing, the arts, and human development; what those programs look like; and what the positive effects have been observed so far. By doing this, we all can witness emerging trends currently in the field of practice, which integrate the arts into wellness routines and how we may, as individuals, already be implementing them in our everyday lives. 

Before we begin, just a quick note: I am not a certified therapist or doctor. This research was conducted for educational purposes only and should not to be utilized as a prescriptive treatment.  

Selecting an Integrated Art Form

To begin, the art forms I will be focusing on are music, dance, and visual arts. These are just a small group from the many that exist, but they are what I saw to be the most relevant to my lived experiences while also covering a wide range of senses and capabilities. 

Although there are multiple applications and benefits to each, all have been developed intersectionally with wellbeing to enhance physical and mental wellbeing. No matter what someone has experienced or is currently involved in, there will be a medium in these art forms available to meet their interests or needs. Within each of these art forms, there are a variety of experiences to be created and take part in, including physical and emotional engagement; alone or in groups; or a combination of each lending to a different approach. 

Thinking About Arts Therapy

The definition of Art Therapy, drawn from the American Arts Therapy Association, is “an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experiences within a psychotherapeutic relationship.” 

Much research has been conducted, and a review of this research concludes that the benefits which come from this treatment cover a wide spectrum of symptoms common to those with anxiety, depression, and physical pain. Because arts therapy is specific to the facilitation of treatment from a client to certified therapist, I will be focusing my inquiry on how the arts can be helpful in therapeutic application and why youth, educators, and communities should be aware of such benefits. However, it is important to acknowledge what the purpose of art therapy is as a whole - therapeutic.

The beauty of this topic is that it bridges the arts and healthcare through a holistic lens, creating a safe space for anyone to experiment with their creativity without judgment. It also lifts up youth to advocate and prioritize their mental and physical health, bringing it on the level of their other priorities. There are some who are involved in arts practices on a daily basis without even realizing it. For example, those who love to listen to music or play it in the background while they work may utilize a certain genre to further relax or enhance their focus. It is small mental shifts and activities like these that could turn an everyday habit into a possible wellness practice. Overall, the arts reach multiple facets of our wellness: physical, emotional, and spiritual by combining movement and creation with introspective work. 

Another aspect of holistic health, as applied through the arts, is that it is a proactive practice. It is not necessary to wait for a certain sign or symptom to apply these concepts; because of this, “it can be an alternative to pharmacological treatments” unless deemed necessary. For everyday occurrences such as stress and fatigue, the arts are a great place to start becoming more aware of what state your body and mind are in. This could serve the youth by giving them a head start to preventing health issues down the line. 

Considering the Art forms in Holistic Health

There are unique aspects of arts-based holistic health, and the approaches taken within them throughout the field, specific to individual art forms.

Music

One of the wonderful things about music is that there are multiple genres. This relates to wellness and wellness approaches because different genres can be linked to certain concepts and conditions. Music therapy has been found to be most helpful in those with depression, anxiety, and physical pain. This is because of our body’s reaction to music including the increased stimulation of our senses. It has the ability to “disrupt harmful patterns”, aid in stress tolerance, and “increase personal control/self efficacy” which does not mean the removal of pain but the ability to function despite it. Studies show that “Music therapy provides short term beneficial effects for people with depression…(it) also shows efficacy in decreasing anxiety levels and improving functioning”. For those with cancer it provided a “moderate pain reducing effect”. All of these allow for healthy coping mechanisms to be established so that they can find content in their situation.

There are multiple ways to involve oneself in music and feel these benefits including: improvisation, songwriting, singing, drumming, utilizing music to refocus, studying the lyrics of a song, and “music assisted relaxation & breathing techniques”. While some of these require instruments, most do not! If someone has access to a listening device they can easily tap into these or create their own music through physically drumming a surface or singing. There are ways to adapt each of these to fit an individual’s needs. The Music and Health Research Institute (MHRI) recognizes that “Music is a vibrant world, but learning music is not a one-size-fits-all prospect.” 

This organization focuses on removing barriers to learning and performance opportunities so that anyone can be a part of the music creating and production process. This also points back to why this topic is so important: because it develops cultural inclusion and decreases isolation, creating that safe place for exploration. If this were adapted more in early education, schools could become a safe space for exploration without judgment and allow young students to tap into their artistry. This would also allow them to further pursue their interests throughout the rest of their education. Overall, music is a very adaptable resource for those who want to find more peace in their everyday lives and has the ability to create inclusive spaces. 

Dance

As a dancer myself, I have always found dance enjoyable, but through this research I see how I can shift my mindset to create a therapeutic experience. The Gibney Dance Study “focused largely on understanding dance’s potential for reducing the mental health symptoms among survivors” of domestic violence who now suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. They did this through 90-minute dance sessions twice a week for 6 weeks. The study had two specific goals: “improving their sense of personal safety” and “reestablishing connection with others” which are goals that could be applied to a variety of situations. In conjunction with their dance classes they also participated in group stretching sessions, mindfulness exercises, and practicing their creativity through email prompts. These are all other forms of movement or mindfulness exercises that may not have to be instructed and could be explored outside of counseling.

From the group’s collected responses, there were three main themes that arose. These included “connecting to self and the body…self expression through movement…and community-building”. Although this study was done on women with a certain experience and background, dance could have those same benefits when applied individually or in a different setting. Combining daily movement with intention, whether that is stretching, improvising, or choreographing to a song, can create a mind-body connection that is both grounding and enlightening for those who may not have experienced it before. Connecting to our body and being aware of its needs is a continuous process that is important for all ages, but especially for adolescents who are experiencing major changes. Through movement, they have the opportunity to look inward and develop self love for the body they currently have. Past those formative years, as they enter adulthood, they can continue to stay in tune and feel at home in their ever-changing bodies. 

Art

The visual arts can include mediums such as painting, drawing, and molding clay. For those who have not had the opportunity to experiment with art, they may not describe themself as an “artist”, but that term does not belong to one person or group. There is also no “right” or “wrong” way to work within the arts. There is only experimentation existing in a space lacking judgment or rules. This breeds self awareness and self efficacy as we have seen in other practices. Each person has unique needs and each of those can be sufficed through the use of different mediums. 

After listening to multiple videos on Arts Therapy in Adolescents from the American Art Therapy Association , I have witnessed overall themes from the application of visual arts for therapeutic purposes. One of them is the ability to give voice to things that are not able to be translated through spoken word. This field helps those with things like past trauma to work through “things that are unspeakable”. It can create a space where there is no pressure to speak first and they have the ability to work at a pace they are comfortable with. Similar to music and dance, visual arts helps establish coping mechanisms for those with depression, anxiety, and physical pain. 

Applications to Everyday Life For Youth

There are multiple inspiring stories from the American Art Therapy Association that gave me more insight into the direct impact of art in a therapeutic form on people from all backgrounds.  In one case, an older woman with multiple sclerosis learned ways to cope with her pain and was “able to find contentment, acceptance, and meaning in her journey of life”. In another, a boy was able to talk through the feelings that led him to draw a photo aiming a gun at a classmate. By the end, he chose to draw a picture presenting flowers instead. Inside the oncology wing of a hospital, a woman was also able to cope with stressful situations as well as collaborate with other patients and “come together through art”. Once again, the arts are bridging spaces and allowing people to share experiences they may never have had. Although some of these cases were created for clients in alignment with a therapist or institution, there is much to learn from their stories and what they took away from these. 

The gradual incline towards a holistic mindset that we are witnessing hints at a future where the arts and wellness can coexist and more youth have the ability to prioritize their individual health. As a dancer myself and someone who has been involved closely in the arts, I have almost always had access to all three of the mediums discussed. However, those who have grown up during and in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic may be hindered by the isolation and movement towards digital learning we have experienced. It is critical for more youth to be involved and aware of therapeutic art so that they can learn to cope with everyday stressors and conditions like those in the studies. Continuing research on the arts and wellness, like that of this project, will hopefully inspire more outreach to sources such as music, dance, and visual arts in the hopes of bettering one’s overall health.