Written by: Shannon Walsh LMHC-A, CCTP
Creative Coping: Getting Through the Season
The holiday season can be difficult for a lot of folks, with or without celebration. Seasonal affective disorder, grief, loneliness, anxiety, many mental health challenges are exacerbated by this time of the year. These challenges can feel insurmountable sometimes, especially with the cold weather. It can be tempting to want to grab a cozy blanket and curl up rather than face the day. Often, when we think of coping skills, we think of journaling or box breathing. Those tools have their uses, for sure. Here are some other ways to cope through the holiday hustle.
Get creative.
The winter months are the perfect time to explore a new creative hobby. Creativity is shown to increase cognitive flexibility and overall wellness. In addition to improving cognitive flexibility, creativity is a fantastic mindfulness exercise. Some examples of creativity that are helpful include:
1. Crafting – Research suggests that engaging in arts and crafts can improve empathy, self-esteem, resilience, and can be empowering. In addition, art therapies are indicated to improve mood and quality of life.
2. Neurographic Art – Neurographic art is a tool often utilized in expressive arts therapy that allows the creator to not feel the pressure of having a set image they need to create, rather to allow their feelings and emotions to freely flow from their bodies onto the canvas. This form of expressive art can help with anger, loneliness, anxiety, grief, and is a wonderful mindfulness exercise.
3. Baking – Baking is not often seen as an art form, or a therapeutic tool. However, baking is a fantastic mindfulness exercise, as it requires your mind and body to be connected and fully present in the here and now. In addition, if kneading is involved, the mind body balance component required to knead the bread is a fantastic mindfulness exercise as well.
All three of these creative coping strategies help to be more fully present in the here-an-now and work to regulate your nervous system so you can feel more calm, confident, and relaxed. And, maybe you’ll find that you enjoy these creative coping strategies so much, you will be able to start gifting your loved ones with your artwork, crafts, or freshly baked bread!
Get moving.
This is sometimes an unpopular coping strategy for many. And that’s okay. Movement-based coping is widely accepted as a safe and healthy coping strategy for individuals who are struggling with depression and anxiety. And while the winter months can make some forms of exercise challenging, plenty of options still exist. Yoga is shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and our region offers many wonderful Yoga studios including Balance and Breath Yoga, Rebel Studio, and more. And if getting out or affording yoga is challenging, YouTube offers a wide variety of mindful Yoga exercises. In addition, the YMCA often offers yoga classes and has accessible gym gear, as well as a pool where water aerobics can be done to help improve circulation and overall health.
Get cozy.
It is important to remember there is a healthy way to choose to stay home and cozy up with a good book or movie and your favorite blanket. This can be a healthy way to cope through the holidays as well, when done in moderation. Like all things in life, balancing activities like baking or volunteering with choosing to stay home with a good book is key.
Reach out.
Last, and perhaps most importantly, if you find that none of these are helping, or you are starting to feel overwhelmed by your feelings, reach out to someone you love or to a potential therapist. We are always just a phone call away.
byantokhin, P. (2021, January 3). Neurographica: You, transformed. Neurographic Art. https://neurographic.art/2021/01/02/neurographica-you-transformed/
Khalil, R., Godde, B., & Karim, A. A. (2019, March 4). The link between creativity, cognition, and creative drives and underlying neural mechanisms. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2019.00018/full
Jared C. Pistoia, N. (2022, April 8). How arts and crafts can help mental health. Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/blog/arts-crafts-in-psychiatric-occupational-therapy#benefits
Mindful Baking. King Arthur Baking. (n.d.). https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/mindful-baking#:~:text=Using%20baking%20as%20a%20mindful,well%2Dbeing%20and%20overall%20health.
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Yoga & Fitness: Rebel studio avon. Rebel Studio. (n.d.). https://www.rebelfitstudio.com/
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