Brookhaven Retreat® LLC, a unique residential treatment facility exclusively for women with emotional and mental health challenges, and/or substance abuse issues finds creative inspiration at Knoxville’s Retropolitan Craft Fair on May 30, 2015.
Brookhaven Retreat clients spent the afternoon browsing the booths at the Retropolitan Craft Fair in downtown Knoxville gathering creative inspiration for future craft projects designed to improve mental health. The Retropolitan Craft Fair is a formal gathering of local artisans, handcrafters, and food trucks featuring an array of up-cycled and indie-craft creations. This outing augmented the creative process of art therapy for Brookhaven Retreat clients and staff. Following the visit to the Retropolitan Craft Fair, the attendees visited a local craft and hobby store to stock up on crafting materials to create their own designs during future onsite sessions.
Art therapy is experiential therapeutic approach to making art that has been shown to help those who suffer from anxiety, depression, or chronic pain. During the crafting process, the brain releases dopamine, a natural antidepressant, that boosts overall mental health. According to psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, “When we are involved in (creativity), we feel that we are living more fully than during the rest of life. You know that what you need to do is possible to do, even though difficult.” Art therapy is commonly used to provide an outlet to aid in substance abuse recovery and as a treatment for mental and emotional trauma. Art therapy’s benefit comes from the creative process involved in artistic self-expression that helps people resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight. Art therapy is an integral part of the comprehensive treatment plan at Brookhaven Retreat.
