Coloring used to be an activity reserved for small
children in elementary grades. These days coloring books are used for adults as
well. Coloring books have therapeutic benefits for many different conditions,
including anxiety, depression, and chronic pain.
Art therapy has long been recognized as a valuable way
to help patients process stress and traumatic stress as well. The person coloring
can reduce anxiety and increase self- esteem by exploring feelings, reconcile
emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior, improve reality
orientation, and develop social skills.
A study in 2005 did find that coloring a mandala
helped ease anxiety. Participants were then asked to recall a situation in
which they felt very anxious, writing it down in detail. An anxiety test was
administered. Different groups were given coloring pages of a mandala, a plaid
pattern, and a blank sheet of paper and asked to color for 20 minutes. Anxiety
was tested were performed again after coloring. Participants who colored on a
blank piece of paper showed no reductions in anxiety. Those participants who
colored a mandala decreased their anxiety levels to levels below that
which they reported before the anxiety induction.
When coloring you must look at the shape and size. You
must look at the edges, and you must pick a color. Doing this could occupy the
same parts of the brain that works with mental imagery. There is no pressure to
fill a blank page, give answers others want, or come up with your own ideas.
Participants who are more guarded find a lot of
tranquility in coloring an image. It may feel Talking about the picture being
colored is a great way to lead into a conversation about the subject. When
doing therapy with children, usually the therapist will have the child doing an
activity to keep them busy while discussing a subject. This not only will keep the
child in one spot, doing an activity will get more of a true feeling from the
child than just telling you what you want to hear so they can go play. Kids
want to HAVE FUN! Kids learn by having fun.
The best part is that you can color anywhere. This
will mean you can color outside, and therapy can take place in environments
other than a desk, a stuffy office, or a school environment.
Places to obtain more information.
American Art Therapy Association
Chronic Pain Life
Researchers Nancy A. Curry and Tim Kasser
Dr. Stan Rodski, a neuropsychologist
Dr. Joel Pearson, a brain scientist
