Many people come home from work and find themselves stressed beyond belief. They have difficulties sleeping, an unhealthy diet, and with every passing day their relationships seem to take a turn for the worst.

Experiencing stress is a normal part of life but in our busy lives we seem to have lost the ability to relieve that stress. Without proper ways to relieve stress it builds upon the stress from the previous day and gets worse and worse.

Art therapy is the process of using art and creativity to relieve stress and gain an overall stronger mental disposition. Since its conception in the late 60s it has helped thousands of people get a better grasp over their mental health and lead happier and healthier lives. Here are a few helpful tips if you are thinking about experimenting with art therapy:

Choose The Right Intricacy Level

How intricate the designs you choose to color is probably one of the most important factors in art therapy. The right design should be intricate enough to be challenging but not so intricate that it frustrates you. Mandala and repetitive geometric patterns are wonderful coloring pages with which to start art therapy. When coloring mandalas begin on the outside edges and work your way inwards. The idea of the mandala is that it is a journey with the target goal in the center, and in order to earn the reward at the center you must complete the entire journey.

By coloring intricate repetitive patterns you challenge your brain which means that you give it a break from focusing on all the things that stress you out during your day. If you begin to feel frustrated with the complexity of the design then stop and find something easier to color, always listen to your body.

Use Happy Colors

You know how you can sometimes feel sad or lazy during the grimness of the winter months? Well colors can affect you the same way. The same way that you tend to feel happier during summer months you can also drive yourself to feel happier and more relaxed by choosing to surround yourself with warm colors.

Take this idea to the next level by using predominantly warm “happy” colors in you coloring. Go with colors like yellow, orange, and bright red, feel free to mix in some greens, and baby blues, to create a joyous mix of colors that puts a smile on your face.

Let Your Creativity Out

Adult coloring books are a great way to get started with art therapy since they lay out designs for you to color. This way you avoid the stress and challenge of a blank page which so many people experience. Once you get used to coloring however feel free to let you creativity free. Many coloring designs will have some blank space, use this space to create your own designs to color.

No matter what you do don’t forget that art has no rules and no wrong answers. It is a failure free zone available to you to experiment and grow in. And if you feel like you need some help getting started and are interested in adult coloring don’t forget there are a ton of free coloring pages online so you don’t even have to take on the risk of spending money if you decide it’s not for you in the end.

We wish you happy coloring!