Throughout history art has been used by people to help cope with difficult situations. Right now, with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are going through an historic moment. Each person will deal with this crisis in their own way. For many, this global crisis will exasperate difficulties they were already experiencing.
What is unique about what is happening in the world today is that it is affecting everyone more or less at the same time. Carl Jung spoke about a collective unconscious: a set of shared memories and impulses common to all mankind originating in the inherited structure of the brain. Jung went on to develop his approach by analyzing ways in which a person’s individual experience was affected by this collective way of thinking. One of the biggest ways I personally have been impacted by the pandemic is in the realization that we are all globally connected.
By finding a way to express ourselves, be it through painting, dancing, singing or writing, we can help ourselves deal with what we are experiencing now and understand what this collective experience means to us. As an art therapist, I would like to give some advice and offer my expertise on how to develop the practice of creative expression as a way to find a positive experience in an otherwise difficult situation.
A Path to Self Discovery
Art therapy is a therapeutic process that uses art as a tool for a means of expression. In a psycho-dynamic approach, the therapist and client use artistic expression as a tool to explore one’s inner self. This path to self discovery is key to helping the individual deal with and resolve inner conflicts.
I believe that all humans have an intrinsic ability to be creative and an innate desire to find ways to express themselves.
"Before a child talks they sing. Before they write they draw. As soon as they stand they dance. Art is fundamental to human expression."—Phylicia Rashad.
Oftentimes people say to me “Oh, I am not artistic.” or “I don’t know how to draw.” But if you observe very young children carrying out any type of artistic expression, they do so in a very free way. In school we learn who is good at math, who is good at science and who is an artist. I believe that people are conditioned to believe that they are not artistic or creative. In art therapy emphasis is placed on process rather than product. The goal is not to create a beautiful piece of art; the goal is to become immersed in the activity itself. You may be familiar with a term that psychologists refer to as "flow": that moment when you become so immersed in an activity that you lose all sense of time and whatever else is going on around you. It’s a way of engrossing yourself in the present in such a way so that nothing else matters.
Get Creative
With lots of time being spent at home during the quarantine I would like to invite you to develop the habit of engaging in some sort of artistic activity. Apart from the therapeutic effects that personal expression can have, I also believe it can be an important way to encapsulate this particular moment in time. It is a way to remember how you are experiencing this particular moment of change in the world.
Creating artwork not only has calming effects, it also helps to produce neural changes in the brain. In my personal experience as a therapist, I often have people tell me when we end a session how much calmer they feel. “Balancing verbal and nonverbal processes supports neural integration and stress reduction.” When creating, I encourage you to utilize calming techniques, such as grounding and anchoring, often used by therapists with their patients. Grounding is a way to reinforce being in the here and now by focusing on an aspect in the external reality, usually relying on the senses. For example while you are working, appreciate the particular qualities of the material you are working with, such as concentrating on the sinews of the bow touching the strings of a violin. Anchoring is another way to focus in on the present by shifting from anxious to calm feelings by using an object. In the case of producing something at home during the quarantine you can use the art piece, a piece of writing created, or vibrations produced (music or sounds) as the external reality. When your goal is to make something it will help you focus on the thing rather than the anxiety provoking situation we are all currently in.
Make it Happen
As an artist myself, along with my approach as a therapist I would like to give some tips on how to get started. First, and especially for those who are not used to making their own art, I would try and just play with whatever material you are using. Maybe you don’t have much at home but a pencil. I would say experiment with the different shades the pencil can make by providing more or less pressure. Make different lines to the beat of your favorite music or make a little dance with a pen or create a pattern and fill it in. Use old recyclables—such as all those toilet paper rolls—and make sculptures. Get in touch with your inner child and have fun.
I suggest also setting aside a moment a day to make something or release some of that pent up energy. For example, I am making my own photo diary, using my instant camera, to take at least one photo a day. Keep a writing journal, or add a little piece more each day to a still life drawing. There are hundreds of ways that one can get creative and I believe it will truly help one to cope mentally.
For those who have kids or are spending long hours with their partners, getting involved in some kind of art, music or dance project can help people connect with one another. Treat it like playing a game together or make an art experiment using things you’ve never used before in a new manner. Write a play together, or just dress up with different articles of clothing in a creative way! However you choose to express yourself, I highly suggest you concentrate on the process rather than the product. With so much uncertainty about the future, we lack a sense of control in many areas of everyday life. This is an opportunity to empower yourself and get involved in a process in which you can make decisions about the outcome. And, even if you aren’t happy with your final result, try to embrace it, because it can also be the embodiment of so many unwanted feelings. If you’re feeling isolated, alone, angry, etc., throw it into your piece and let it stay there as a kind of act of catharsis. For me, another significant positive attribute of making art is that it helps me feel productive, particularly with visual and written material: as I create an object I see proof of my progress, that I have done something. Hopefully, the piece you create will be an object you can reflect on and learn from—maybe you will find there something about yourself that you didn’t realize before.
Jenna Mann is originally from Brooklyn, New York and has spent the past decade living in Spain. She studied a masters in art therapy and another one in clinical psychoanalysis, both at Universities in Barcelona (Pompeu Fabra and UB). She has experience working in different therapeutic contexts with a variety of age groups. She also specializes in early childhood education (0-3 years). You can visit her website at jmannarttherapy.com and view her photo diary here.