Mind of a Maker Leverages Art Therapy to Reduce Stress During Final Exams

As a way to help physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) students de-stress during finals week, we focused on a different type of therapy to hopefully give community members a much-deserved break during a demanding time. 

Art therapy is “a form of mental health treatment using media and the patient’s creativity to therapeutically process and understand emotions while creating art.” It allows a person to get their mind off whatever may be bothering them, even if it's just for a brief period. Creating art helps many people slow down, allowing them to relax, de-stress, and tap into their creativity. Which is exactly why we hosted a Mind of a Maker: Holiday Paper Crafts event in the lobby of Bridgeside. 

Complete with coffee, cocoa, cookies, and craft supplies, attendees were invited to make paper ornaments to resemble holiday lights. As people joined, they could pick whatever color they wanted and were given a quick tutorial on how to put the ornament together. As people worked, you could almost feel the tension melting away. And there's scientific reasons for that. In addition to a sense of relaxation and lowered blood pressure, additional health benefits of creative activities, such as craft projects, include:

1. Improved hand-eye coordination

2. A sense of accomplishment

3. Distraction from worries

Students left less stressed and with a new craft to display!