Creative outlets are beneficial for everyone. Whether it's crafting, cooking, dancing, or even decorating your home, creativity helps us relax, explore new perspectives, and express ourselves. Aside from their recreational benefits, creative activities can be exceptionally impactful and empowering for individuals with mental illness or developmental disabilities. For example:
Creative Activities Improve Mental Health
Art is a powerful conduit for emotions. As such, the effects of art on mental health can be extremely healing. Creative activities allow people who are dealing with mental illness, trauma, and grief a means of expressing and processing their thoughts and feelings. Research has shown that creative expression can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, boost positive feelings, and even support immune system function.
Creative Activities Can Help With Fine Motor Skills and Cognitive Development
Art often requires deliberate, controlled movements. Particularly for children, learning to manipulate craft tools can help practice and improve their motor skills. Creative activities are also believed to contribute to the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills in children.
Creative Activities Are Grounded in Nonverbal Communication
One of the many benefits of doing creative activities is that they aren't heavily reliant on verbal communication. For this reason, art and art therapy for those with disabilities (either developmental or intellectual) can be extremely helpful. Creative activities allow individuals with nonverbal autism or speech/language disorders to express themselves and improve social skills.
Creative Activities Are Empowering
Unlike school and many other areas of life, art is unstructured—there are no wrong answers when it comes to creative expression. At Envision Unlimited, we believe in art as a vehicle for connection and independence. Members of the Envision Arts Studio Program are given the opportunity to exhibit and sell their work, thus giving them a chance to interact meaningfully with their communities and also build their self-confidence.
Since 1948, Envision Unlimited has been dedicated to helping people with disabilities live happy, fulfilled lives in their communities. Our offerings, which include day programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities; mental health, residential, and employment services; specialized foster care; and accredited applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy for children, are designed to address the unique needs of each of our clients—regardless of age, background, or ability.
Our services are grounded in a spirit of advocacy and empowerment. We believe that all individuals are capable of living successful lives if given the right opportunities. Contact us today to see how we can help you!