CRITICAL INTERVENTION/ PERSONAL VOICE ACTION PLAN

 Addressing the Mental Health Crisis through Art Education 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental illnesses are one of the most common health conditions in the United States (2018). While there has been a steady increase of mental health issues in the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted an even more dramatic increase. In comparison to 2019 where 1 in 10 adults reported symptoms of depression, during the pandemic it has increased to 4 in 10 adults (Panchal et. al, 2021). 

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Due to the pandemic, many schools transitioned to a virtual-learning environment which has affected students, parents, and teachers alike. Parents with young children who depend on daycare or school for childcare have had to adjust their schedules and supervise their children during their workday. As a result of the pandemic, both parents and children have reported worsening mental and behavioral health for themselves and their children (American Psychological Association [APA], 2020). For those in high school and college, anxiety and depression rates have increased even more rapidly than they had in years previously. Financial stress, health risks, social isolation, and uncertainty about the future are all contributing factors to increased stress and can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression (APA, 2020).  

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With the administration of vaccines there is hope towards a pre-pandemic normalcy, however the effects of COVID-19 will be felt for many years. Past major health disasters have indicated that the long-term effects of mental health will be felt for many years past the event (APA, 2020). In addition to lack of resources and accessibility, there many barriers from society and the self that result in people not receiving or seeking out treatment. Stigma surrounding mental illness is one of the barriers that people face when seeking treatment and even if resources are made available, they might not be utilized (Eisenberg et. al, 2009). The mental health crisis, heighted further by the pandemic, is an indicator that significant changes need to happen, including mental health resources and practices becoming much more accessible and encouraged. One of the most influential ways to create change is to incorporate mental health practices into our education systems. Educators play a significant role in our society by preparing students for the future and those in art education especially have an opportunity to provide students an outlet and tools to improve their mental health.  

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Art has been actively used as a form of therapy since the 1940s with contributors such as Margaret Naumburg, who was an educator as well as psychologist and artist (Naumburg, 2001). According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy provides many benefits including improving cognitive and sensorimotor functions, foster self-esteem, and self-awareness, cultivates emotional resilience, promotes insight, enhances social skills, reduces, and resolves conflicts and distress, and advances social and ecological change (American Art Therapy Association, 2017). People can use art to help express or process events or feelings that they are unable to put into words. Patients in hospitals that received art therapy interventions were more likely to have improved clinical outcomes than those that did not (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010). Cancer patients found that art therapy helped focus on positive life experiences, enhance self-worth and identity, maintain social identity beyond being defined by cancer, and express feelings symbolically (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010). Art therapy has also been used to help combat veterans with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) process trauma more effectively and reduce symptoms than just having cognitive behavioral therapy alone (Campbell et. al, 2016). 

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Art therapists are master-level clinicians who have training in counseling, therapy practices as well as studio art practices. While those in art education are not qualified to make diagnosis or provide treatment, they can incorporate mindfulness practices into the classroom and have a positive effect on their students. Art education experiences have shown to have a positive impact on students’ academic, social, and emotional states. A study by Diana A. Coholic (2011) explored the benefits of art-based mindfulness practices among young people in need. The study was held over the course of three years and developed a 12-week program with 2-hour sessions called the Holistic Arts-Based Program (HAP). Findings indicated that a creative approach to mindfulness can teach emotional regulation, social and coping skills, which in turn can improve aspects of self-awareness, self-esteem, and resilience (Coholic, 2011). HAP has also shown to be helpful in adult populations as well. A review of three graduate research studies showed positive results of HAP in teachers, university students, and women survivors of domestic assault. Art-based methods for learning mindfulness are accessible, engaging, and enjoyable, especially for those who struggle with more traditional forms of mindfulness such as meditation (Coholic et. al, 2021). Art-based mindfulness can be incorporated into everyday life and normalized through art education. Workshops can help accessibility by contributing to teacher training, museum programs, hospitals, and communities. 

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The mindset of everything going back to the way it was before the pandemic is unrealistic and damaging. There are long-term invisible traumas that may present themselves over the years from the aftereffects of the pandemic. The pandemic has highlighted many issues in our society that have been problems even prior to COVID that are now greatly exasperated. If we return to handling mental health issues the same way as prior to the pandemic there will be more consequences and potential lives lost in the years to come. There is an opportunity to address these issues to make way for a better future. This includes changing our approach to mental health and making self-care more normalized. Giving people tools to reduce anxiety and depression should be normalized for everyone, not just those who seek it as they are being affected. Helping both children and adults alike to become more self-aware, resilient, have a sense of purpose, and create a supportive environment in which to thrive could make a dramatic difference in the attitude and issues with mental health today. While there are many issues that contribute to mental health, one of the ways we can make a difference can be achieved by incorporating art-based mindfulness into our society through art education.  

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References 

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American Art Therapy Association. (2017). About Art Therapy. American Art Therapy Association.  

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American Psychological Association (2020). Stress in America™ 2020: A national mental health crisis. American Psychological Association.  

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Campbell, M., Decker, K. P., Kruk, K., & Deaver, S. P. (2016). Art Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for combat-related PTSD: a randomized controlled trial. Art Therapy, 33(4), 169–177.  

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018, January 26). Learn about mental health - Mental health - CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, October 22). Connection is key to good adolescent mental health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019) Youth risk behavior surveillance data summary & trends report:2009-2019. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

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Coholic, D. A. (2011). Exploring the feasibility and benefits of arts-based mindfulness-based practices with young people in need: Aiming to improve aspects of self-awareness and resilience. Child & Youth Care Forum, 40(4), 303–317.  

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Coholic, D., Hardy, A., Patricia, G., & Stephanie, M. M. (2021). Exploring the benefits of an arts-based mindfulness group intervention for teachers, university students, and women survivors of intimate partner violence. Diversity of Research in Health Journal, 4(1), 16.  

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Eisenberg, D., Downs, M. F., Golberstein, E., & Zivin, K. (2009). Stigma and help seeking for mental health among college students. Medical Care Research and Review, 66(5), 522–541. 

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Naumburg, M. (2001). Spontaneous art in education and psychotherapy. American Journal of Art Therapy, 40(1), 46.  

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Panchal, N., Kamal, R., Cox, C., & Garfield, R. (2021, February 10). The implications of Covid-19 for mental health and substance use. Kaiser Family Foundation.  

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Stuckey, H. L., & Nobel, J. (2010). The connection between art, healing, and public health: A review of current literature. American Journal of Public Health, 100(2), 254–263.  

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