The Welty Health and Counseling Center started a new workshop focusing on integrating art and therapy that is open to students every Friday. The Inner Landscapes Art Therapy Workshop will continue until Nov. 7 and resume on Dec. 5 after Thanksgiving break. A survey from The National Minds Network found that 45% of college students suffered from depression or anxiety disorder. By providing workshops that allow for more students to engage in therapy and creative outlets, the Welty Center helps combat that percentage.
“This is a unique initiative that invites students to connect with counseling in a different way – one that moves beyond talking and thinking to include creativity, reflection and emotional expression through art,” Welty Mental Health Counselor Trishann Rice said.
Art therapy has been increasing in popularity as a celebrated alternative to traditional group therapy across age groups, as participants may benefit from sharing a creative community space in their therapy groups.
Rice leads the workshops in blending art-making with conversation and includes components of themed art prompts, journaling and group sharing while working to make a safe and nonjudgmental space. For students who struggle to verbalize what they’re feeling, the workshops give them an alternative way to process stress, anxiety and transitions.
“Through the creative process, participants often gain clarity about their internal experiences and find new language for self-understanding,” Rice said. “Attending helps students slow down, reflect and reconnect with themselves amidst the demands of academic life. It’s not about artistic skill — it’s about emotional exploration and self-discovery.”
Despite different objectives for each session, each begins with a grounding exercise followed by a reflection on the last workshop before jumping into the specific art form. The first workshop focused on making a visual map of the student’s internal world which was followed by the second workshop that focused on making a “barrier bridge.” In this exercise, students painted the bridge with their personal barriers on one end and support on the other.
A workshop on Oct. 31 tied the other two together and asked students to reflect on what they’ve learned and put it into an image that represents their past, present and future.
“This progression mirrors the therapeutic process — from awareness, processing [and] integration,” Rice said. “Students should know that The Inner Landscapes Workshop is not about making ‘good art’, it’s about creating space for self-reflection and healing.”
The Welty Health and Counseling Center also offers a social anxiety group workshop every Thursday from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. as a way for students to get support from their peers and work together to decrease and manage social anxiety. Both workshops are designed to give support to students in an accessible, comfortable setting which centers community support.
Staff members at Welty provide all art materials to alleviate any financial barriers to joining the group. Previous art experience is not required either, and students of any art ability are encouraged to participate.
“Being able to have art as an outlet and just as an outlet option is really important,” senior Nina Johanson said. “Taking advantage of that and where they do have multiple opportunities for expression is really helpful.”
For Mental Health Counselor Rachel Wyman, feelings and emotions which people find difficult to express with words can become visible as they interact with art materials.
“I’d recommend that students try out this workshop with openness and curiosity, as a way to explore and express themselves in a new way,” Wyman said. “I think it’s especially important for college students, who are so deep in their thoughts and minds, to have a space where they can be out of their minds and in their immediate experience.”
Outside of the Art Therapy Workshop, Welty Health Center staffs six counselors who are available to help students with specialized training. Urgent walk-in hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or students can request to see a counselor a week in advance.
“I would tell any students who are hesitant to ask for help that literally everyone needs help at some point,” Wyman said. “I’m always shocked that so many students have this delusion that they are uniquely screwed up and hopeless — that they’re the only one who is struggling and needs help. Every single person needs support and perspective.”
Art workshops allow students to destress and explore an alternative form of group therapy, as the Health Center also continues more traditional therapy techniques for students.
