Art Journaling for Dealing with Negative Emotions  

Artistic activities function as positive coping strategies in and of themselves and they can also be used to directly address and challenge negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.

This workshop will empower participants to use art activities as a way of addressing issues dealing with emotions. One of the main take-away experiences of this group is that in order to address, challenge, and change negative coping behaviours, one must introduce positive coping behaviours into one’s (daily) activity repertoire.

Participants will be encouraged to participate in simple artistic activities that address emotional regulation and dealing with negative emotions.  Participants may either engage in the activity independently, with support from the facilitator, or in pairs or small groups. Afterwards, the group will discuss what it was like to engage in the activity and may share feelings or thoughts that arose. Workshop participants will be given an arsenal of artistic activities that they may engage in to manage difficult emotions in the future. 

Artistic experience and/or perceived artistic ability are not a requirement. This group will be a safe space for people to explore art as a medium of expression and healing.

Registration for this group will involve taking part in a short phone interview prior to the group beginning in order to identify goals and challenges.