Creating Art Can Reduce Anxiety and Depression for Cancer Patients
Kirsten Carpentier, MSW, Counselor, Artist, and Facilitator
So often in the treatment of an illness such as cancer, there are multiple stressors on a patient's body and emotions, as well as on their family relationships. It can be a complex and challenging time. Persons who are undergoing cancer treatments may experience fatigue, pain, anxiety and sometimes depression. After treatment is completed, there may be anxiety about changes to the body and concern for possible reoccurrence of the disease. Caretakers of cancer patients may also find themselves anxious, overwhelmed and fatigued. Studies have shown that weekly art-based support therapy can be helpful in reducing anxiety and fatigue in patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment (Bar-Sela, Atid, Gabay & Epelbaum, 2007; Nainis & Paice, 2006). In addition, creating art can help persons dealing with a cancer diagnosis express and integrate complex emotions that may arise from the illness.
Creating mandalas (a Sanskrit word for unity/wholeness/circle) are particularly useful for providing calming and centering. They have been used in healing activities all over the world for centuries. In Western psychology Carl Jung first utilized them with his patients to help represent the unconscious self and provide access to deeper realms of the unconscious. They have been utilized by therapists working with cancer patients and persons with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and have resulted in significant reduction in physical distress (Henderson, Rosen & Mascaro, 2007). When using mandala activities with cancer patients and other groups, individuals have reported to the author that they felt a calming "shift" in their brain as their right hemisphere engages. This is the part of the brain that provides intuitive knowing, but it is often drowned out by the chatter of the verbal left hemisphere.
When art activities are accompanied by relaxation techniques and gentle music, they can provide a doorway to inner healing on many levels. Clients in art-based support groups report that new understanding and integration of their feelings emerge during the creative process and they find themselves feeling pleasantly surprised and deeply calmed. Sometimes this new information is quite transformative. What is particularly special about creating mandalas is that people who self-identify as "non-artists" (and may be intimidated to try an art-based support group) find they can create beautiful and meaningful mandalas because almost anyone can create a circle. The structure of a mandala lends itself to both simple and complex designs of infinite variety.
Starting in March 2010, two different art-based support groups will be offered by Kirsten Carpentier, MSW at RoseSprings Center for the Healing Arts. The "Mandalas for Centering and Healing" group starting March 2 is designed specifically to provide support for cancer survivors and their caretakers. The "Women of Change" art-based support group starting March 10 is designed to address transitions that many women experience in their roles and bodies, including those changes brought on by a cancer diagnosis or by being the caretaker of a chronically ill person. The groups will meet bi-monthly and each week a different theme will be the focus of our time together. Please contact RoseSprings to register. Pre-screening by the facilitator is required.
References
- Bar-Seal, G., Atid, L., Danos, S., Gabay, N. & Epelbaum, R. (2007). Art therapy improved depression and influenced fatigue levels in cancer patients on chemotherapy. Psycho-Oncology, 16(11), 980-984.
- Henderson, P., Rosen, D., & Mascaro, N. (2007). Empirical study on the healing nature of mandalas. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 1(3), 148-154.
- Nainis, N. & Paice, J. (2006). Relieving symptoms in cancer: Innovative use of art therapy. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 31(2), 162-169.
