Therapeutic Activities to Improve Your Mental Health
Our emotional landscapes can shift in an instant. Faster than the group chat on a Friday night. Some days you feel fine or fine-ish. Other days, you’re teetering between crying in the shower and doom scrolling through job listings you’ll never apply to. Mental health isn’t one-size-fits-all, so your healing tools probably shouldn’t be either. Here is a list of some simple, therapeutic activities—organized by how you might be feeling at any time on any given day. These aren’t magic fixes. But they can help you feel more like yourself again, one small choice at a time. Because your well-being deserves care tailored to you—not a generic checklist.
When You’re Feeling Anxious
Nearly 20% of U.S. adults live with an anxiety disorder. You are so not alone. Anxiety is a natural emotional response to any perceived danger or stress – often labeled as the fight, flight, or freeze response. Anxiety can definitely be helpful in small doses (like helping you to avoid danger or keeping you alert right before a tough test), but it can become a problem when it is intense, frequent, or just lasts too long. Anxiety can make everything feel too loud, too fast, too much. So, here are a few ways to slow the swirl.
1. Grounding Through the Senses
Anxiety pulls you into the future. Grounding pulls you back into your body. ● Try the 5-4-3-2-1 method: 5 things you can see, 4 hear, 3 feel, 2 smell, 1 taste.
● Even better if you do this outside—studies show nature reduces anxiety and boosts mood.
2. Mindful Movement
Gentle movement helps discharge anxious energy and regulate your nervous system.
● Think: a 10-minute yoga flow, a slow walk without your phone, or dancing like nobody’s watching (because they’re not).
3. Worry Dump Journaling
Dump your anxious thoughts onto paper—unedited, unfiltered.
● Start with: Right now, I’m worried about…
● No grammar police. No pressure. Just let it out.
When You’re Feeling Depressed
Depression can make you feel as if you’re underwater, while watching life move without you. Depression is also the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting over 280 million people. Your sadness isn’t a flaw—it’s a signal. It’s trying to tell you something. When energy is low and motivation is nonexistent, the smallest action can be a big win.
1. Do One Gentle Thing
Tiny wins can be momentum.
● Drink a glass of water. Sit in the sun for 5 minutes. Brush your teeth. That counts. ● Ask: What’s the smallest next step I can take?
2. Create Without Pressure
Art-making can help you express what words can’t—especially when you're numb or overwhelmed.
● Scribble. Collage. Use colors that match your mood.
● No need for it to look good. Just simply let it feel good.
3. Low-Lift Connection
Depression thrives in isolation. You don’t need to go to a party—just a soft touchpoint. ● Send a voice note to a friend.
● Join a virtual community.
● Text: “Hey. Not feeling great. Can we talk soon?”
When You’re Burnt Out
Burnout hits when your mind says keep going and your body says I’m done. It’s that state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion that usually follows prolonged and excessive stress. Sometimes people think burnout is only related to work, but it can also stem from caregiving, school, or any other chronic stressor in your life. If you’re emotionally fried, consistently fatigued or experiencing frequent illnesses, headaches or muscle pain, these can help replenish your tank.
1. Do Less (On Purpose)
● Rest isn’t laziness—it’s a biological need.
● Cancel non-essential plans. Say no. Take guilt-free naps.
2. Nervous System Reset
When you're maxed out, your system needs a full reboot—not more coffee. ● Try deep belly breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 6).
● Lay on the floor with your legs up the wall for 10 minutes. It’s restorative magic.
3. Make Something Just for Fun
Burnout can kill your joy. Reignite it through play.
● Bake. Paint. Garden. Build a blanket fort.
● Reconnect to activities with no productivity goal.
When You Feel Emotionally Overwhelmed
Being emotionally overwhelmed means that your emotions probably feel so intense or numerous that you’re finding it hard to manage them. You’re crying, rage-texting, or shutting down altogether because your feelings are flooding you, and the idea of processing or controlling them is just too much. Overwhelm comes from a number of things. Some being: big life changes, unresolved emotions, high empathy or sympathy, or accumulated stress. Let’s bring the intensity down a notch.
1. Cold Water Trick
A splash of cold water on your face or holding an ice cube can calm your nervous system and interrupt emotional flooding.
2. Draw Your Feelings
Draw your anger. Scribble your sadness. Externalizing big feelings helps you hold them instead of being held hostage by them.
3. Narrate What’s Happening
Talk to yourself like you would a child you love.
● “This is a big feeling. I’m safe. It will pass.”
● It might feel silly, but your nervous system listens.
When You’re Actually Okay and Want to Stay That Way
Stop waiting until you’re not okay to prioritize being okay. You don’t have to wait until you’re falling apart to take care of your mental health. Prevention is powerful. When you feel more emotionally connected to yourself, you are more resilient to stress, anxiety, and even physical illness.
1. Practice Joy Maintenance
● Schedule in fun like it’s a meeting.
● Keep a “done” list instead of just to-do lists.
2. Check In with Yourself
● Once a week, ask: What do I need more of? Less of?
● Reflect with art, journaling, or a solo walk.
3. Stay Connected
● Mental wellness is easier when you're supported.
● Keep your people close. Share how you really are.
Being worthy doesn’t require you to be healed. Progress is far from about being able to do it all. The best therapeutic activities are the ones that feel doable today. So, just try starting small, and pick one thing from any category, for any feeling state or mood. Then try another activity tomorrow, and the next day. Mental health isn’t about perfection. It is about creating a life that truly honors what you feel, what you need, and who you’re becoming. Your wellness journey should be tailored to you.