Healing and Connection through Eco-Art Therapy
Introduction to eco-art therapy
As a practicing art therapist, I have been identifying ways to incorporate eco-art therapy into my work. I want to emphasize that the connection we have with the natural world and engagement with nature is so important. This is especially because, living in a modern society, we spend most of our lives working and being indoors, while the amount of green spaces around us decrease. With the introduction of eco-art therapy, clients and therapists will learn to reconnect with nature to enhance their physical and mental well-being. We apply eco-psychology to art therapy practices with the hope that one will strengthen that connection to nature and use natural art materials and settings combined with the creative process to reflect and improve health. In this post, I will talk about how art therapy and nature can co-exist as well as the various techniques one can use to incorporate it into practice. I will also talk about the way nature plays a role in reflection and how it can improve our mental and physical health.
Eco-art therapy practices
When combining art therapy with nature, the therapist can introduce nature as a subject, nature as a material, or nature as setting (Pike, 2021). When using nature as a subject, you can choose to use your imagination and create landscapes or collages of natural scenes or use guided imagery. You can also use other paintings or images and interpret your own meaning or use this imagery to inspire your own work and create a representation of what the scene evokes within yourself. If you would like to use a realistic lens, you can create still lifes or create from observation. I want to emphasize that your creation doesn’t have to be realistic but can be about your internal state, feelings, or abstract observations. When we explore nature in metaphorical and symbolic ways, we can allow for complex and sophisticated informational processing.
When using nature as material, one may be beginning a journey to form a healthy attachment and emotional connection to their work and the natural world. If you are using plants, it is recommended that you identify the plant and understand its historical uses, along with its origin point. This allows you to really appreciate what the plant does for the earth and how it provides for other plants and animals, and for you.
During my own collections, I like to find plants and flowers that have already been picked out of the ground or that might be invasive to my living or garden space. It is important not to take too much as we are not the only one’s being provided for. To preserve my findings, I like to press them so they can be used later on. With the materials I like to make stamps, multi-media collages, and sculptures. You can also use and preserve things like berries, coffee grounds, or tea bags for ink and to create sun prints and paintings. Using nature as a material can allow you to look at how different things can be repurposed and used in unique ways. Overall, I want to emphasize to be smart and sustainable with your collection. Nature is a gift and it appreciates when we treat it with respect and thank it for its contribution.
Lastly, we know from research that light, color, sound, aroma, texture, and space all affect our physical and emotional well-being. When using nature as a setting, it is important to take these things into consideration and also think about ways in which nature can improve and enhance our surroundings. In a previous role, I used nature as a setting and took my clients outside to create artwork. We found a comfortable spot, used natural art materials, and enjoyed what the space had to offer. The natural setting provided color inspiration and soothed the senses, and provided a sense of community. We made art about how the setting made us feel and were able to acknowledge the resources in which the earth provided for us, which allowed for an increased sense of mindfulness, sense of calm, and emotional regulation. When considering this option, it is important to think about how the different natural variables affect us, as certain variables can increase stress and agitation for both the client and therapist.
The essence and benefits
It’s also important to talk about the ways in which nature can be beneficial, specifically how it can enhance your mental and physical health as well as allow for reflection.
Physically, taking part in the natural world decreases the risk of chronic diseases by decreasing blood pressure as well as lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. Engaging in nature also helps with emotional regulation and can help create new neural pathways therefore improving brain function (Pike, 2021). This all happens through several processes while we are interacting with the natural world. Increasing your connection with nature and understanding the ways it provides for you and your loved ones can increase a sense of purpose, community, understanding, and self-actualization, by showing us that we are a part of something bigger, especially when feelings of isolation step in. This meaning-making and understanding of one’s full potential and self can come about by understanding that we are part of a life cycle. We can then reflect on our values and engage in self-transformation once we recognize that we have the capacity and capability to create and recreate purpose.
Inherently, by forming this meaning and connection with the world, it may allow us to have increased capacity to form close relationships with others. Nature and eco-art therapy, including art therapy for teens, can also provide a sense of safety by helping with grounding and anchoring which is useful especially for someone experiencing trauma, stress, or anxiety. Activating sensory experiences decreases hyperarousal and the toxic physiological effects of stress. Walks to collect art materials can provide meditative-like brain waves which promote attention span, emotional regulation, and self-awareness.
Overall, I could go on and on about the benefits of nature and eco-art therapy and the ways in which they allow one to make meaning of an event, communicate distress, increase mental and physical health, and provide a sense of community. I think it is also captivating to see the ways in which people find and explore their own benefits to interacting with nature and creating art.
Conclusion
In my own healing journey, I have used nature and natural materials to enhance my own well-being and lower my stress levels. I find so much joy in repurposing and collecting material that I can use later on in my own work. I try to find ways to incorporate and connect with the natural world in every season, helping me adapt to seasonal cycles. I have been able to do this and incorporate this into my own life through researching eco-art therapy processes.
If you are a practicing art therapist, I really encourage you to explore this avenue of art therapy and find ways in which you can incorporate it into your own practice. If you are a client and this process sounds interesting to you, bring this up with your therapist and have a conversation about the ways in which it would be beneficial for you. Of course if you are a therapist, please review the ethical considerations and informed consent especially if you want to practice outside a traditional office space.
If you’d like to schedule an eco-art therapy session with me, you can do so here : ).
