When I was in elementary school, one of my favorite things was being able to go to art class. It was about once a week, and all of us loved it. We painted and drew and made little sculptures to take home to our parents. It was a simple joy, but one that none of us seemed to grow tired of. I didn’t really have a steady art class like that again until my junior year of high school when I squeezed my way into the second level art course. There, I was able to expand my skills as an artist, and I entered my pieces into some competitions. My appreciation and general adoration for visual art were cultivated in the studio where we met every school day. It was there that I was able to let go of my stresses or worries and focus on the task in front of me. It was so therapeutic in ways that I can’t even begin to describe. When the class was over, I no longer had a viable reason for doing art. Instead, I focused on my applications for college and building up my resume. After arriving at Kenyon and settling down a bit, I felt the need for that outlet once again where I would just be able to relax and create. I found that in the art therapy that the counseling center offers.
What is art therapy? you might ask. It’s a form of psychotherapy that encourages freedom of expression with its participants through some form of visual art, like painting or sculpting. It uses art to improve an individual’s mental and emotional wellbeing.
At Kenyon, art therapy is a group activity, and at first, I worried that it would be too structured and stiff. I was afraid that I wouldn’t feel comfortable enough to show my vulnerability to others, but everyone I’ve met there so far has been incredibly welcoming and supportive. The therapy itself has been really great, too, and when I leave the counseling center I feel so much lighter. Talking about your feelings is great, but I like making visual representations of how I feel. It centers me, and it sometimes can help make everything feel a bit more coherent. Art has a way of making people comprehend things, and the artist can understand that more than anyone.
I don’t think there’s a better feeling in the world than when you take the time to create something that you think is beautiful. Just being able to sit down and work with your hands is one of the easiest things to do, but I find that a lot of people don’t partake in it. And I totally understand if you don’t. At Kenyon, when you have time to yourself, you’re more likely to take a nap than paint about your feelings or mold a sculpture out of clay. But I promise that it does help to do that even occasionally. You don’t have to be the next Van Gogh or Monet. You don’t even have to show it to anyone unless you really want to. It’s for you, so make it yours.