“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” – Thomas Merton

In recent years, the conversation around mental health has grown louder, braver, and more unapologetic. Yet, within African and Black diasporic communities, the topic often remains whispered – if acknowledged at all. In cultures where strength is equated with silence, many silently endure emotional wounds that stretch across generations. But in that silence, art speaks. And through that expression, healing begins.

THE GENTLE POWER OF CREATIVE HEALING

Therapeutic art practice refers to the use of creative expression – drawing, painting, dance, music, poetry, and more – as a way to process emotions, reduce stress, and reclaim personal power. Unlike formal art therapy, which is led by licensed professionals, therapeutic art is accessible to anyone. It does not require talent or training – just willingness.

Many of us already engage in it without realizing: doodling during anxious moments, listening to soulful music to soothe pain, or writing poetry that never leaves the notes app. These small acts of creativity are not just distractions, they are forms of care, resilience, and emotional release.

In African and diasporic traditions, healing has always been tied to creativity. Drumming, call-and-response chants, ceremonial dances, mask-making – these were never just “performances,” but sacred tools of expression, unity, and renewal. Art, in this context, becomes medicine.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES

Centuries of colonization, systemic racism, migration, and identity displacement have left deep psychological scars in African communities globally. Yet, due to cultural stigma, many hesitate to seek conventional therapy. Art becomes a bridge – a safe, intuitive space to explore trauma, celebrate identity, and reconnect with self. In environments where vulnerability is discouraged, art provides non-verbal language. A painting can scream where the voice cannot. A movement can shake free what words struggle to name. Creating something with your hands can remind you that you still have control even when everything else feels uncertain.

Therapeutic art practices help to externalize internal chaos. They allow individuals to see, touch and reshape their pain. This is not just catharsis, it is transformation.

HOW TO BEGIN YOUR OWN ART-DRIVEN HEALING JOURNEY

You don’t need a studio, a canvas, or even a brush to begin. All you need is a space (mental or physical) to create freely, without judgment. Here are a few simple ways to explore healing through art:

You can begin with an art journal. Don’t worry about making it pretty. Use it to doodle your moods, scribble affirmations, or paste images that reflect your feelings.

You can choose to your emotions by assigning colors or shapes to how you feel each day. Don’t aim for realism - aim for release.

Another way to begin is to create a collage of memory by cutting out images from magazines or print photos that capture your journey, your culture, or your inner world.

A very good way to also start is by dancing it out. Put on music that resonates with your current state and let your body move freely. Let it be messy, powerful, silent, or wild – whatever it needs to be.

An interesting one is using materials around you. If you don’t have paint or pencils, use what you have - sand, leaves, fabric, charcoal, old newspapers, chalks, empty cans. The process matters more than the outcome.

There are also online platforms and workshops that guide individuals through therapeutic art practices, often centering wellness and culturally grounded healing approaches.

REFLECTIONS

Art will not erase trauma, but it can transform how we carry it. For African and diasporic communities, where stories have been stolen, misrepresented, or buried, art is a powerful way to reclaim identity and dignity. It gives shape to our silence and color to our pain. It reminds us that we are still here – and still creating. You don’t need to call yourself an artist to let art heal you. You only need to show up to the page, the rhythm, the canvas, or the dance floor - and begin.

“When the music changes, so does the dance.” - African Proverb