My Anger problems were worse back when I was addicted to alcohol. These days it’s rare that I get mad, but it still happens. It is a human emotion, after all. One of the benefits of getting sober is that it allowed me to reconnect with healthy avenues to channel my negative emotions, and I really enjoy art therapy for anger management.
Art Therapy for Anger Management
Art Therapy for Anger Management in Teens
I was a teen when my family life went to hell. When I think back to how I dealt with anger problems, it was often through art. As a kid, I had always been artistic, and my creations were a direct reflection of what was going on in my life as well as what was going on within my psyche.
I wish I had some of my older works to post. Though they weren’t pretty, they were raw. When things took a dark turn in my life, my art went from beautiful to horrific. I stopped focusing on pleasing the eye and instead indulged in sharing my pain with the world. It was disturbing to many, but beautiful to me, as I’ve always been an expressive person.
The adults in my life chastised me for hanging rough charcoal sketches of monsters, demons, and dancing skeletons. The adult I have become is proud of my childhood self for having the emotional intelligence to express my negative emotions constructively.
Aunt Mary was one of the few positive influences I had. When I was forced to live with my unbearable grandmother for a while, Aunt Mary bought me a jewelry-making set to keep me busy. Instead of making jewelry, I crafted a lovely beaded black widow.
How to Use Art Therapy for Anger Management
The way I see it, art therapy can be used for anger management in one of two ways – by creating angry art or soothing art. Though the methods differ greatly in their nature, I’ve found both to be effective in helping me deal with anger.
Angry Art
As I mentioned in a previous paragraph, when I was a teen my art shifted from beautiful to grotesque. This is what I call angry art. I had grown tired of spending hours perfecting pieces. Instead, I thrashed, gashed, and lashed out at the paper. The results were often abstract, as I was diving deeply into my psychological issues that could not be expressed through tangible and realistic imagery.
Soothing Art
Recently, I got overwhelmed with some of the stresses I’ve been dealing with, and I considered making angry art, but I realized I didn’t want to. Instead, I chose to work on something to soothe my anger. I put my earbuds in, played a Japanese lo-fi chill playlist, and sketched the kanji symbol for “water,” surrounded by flowers, waves, and a coy fish.
It was a relaxing evening, and I’m happy with the result, though it isn’t finished yet.
Sustainable Paint for Art
Check back for future posts where I plan to reveal the sustainable paint I’ve found to add color to my kanji drawing! I’m so excited to share it with you!
Thanks for Reading!
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