Years ago, I worked with an emergency room nurse I’ll call Lisa, who sought my help after a horrific day in the emergency room. “We lost a child today due to child abuse. The little one’s body was so battered and broken that it broke our hearts. We did everything we could to save her. The surgeons, the other nurses, the staff, we all broke down in tears when it was all over,” Lisa said. As we talked through the horrors of that day, I asked her what helped her make it through the day.

“I had to take care of my own daughter. She had a school project due the next day. She had to make a map of the United States. I helped her with some illustrations for her project. Sitting with her, coloring, and drawing in trees and little animals felt so comforting,” Lisa said.

After the traumatic day in the emergency room, Lisa worried about whether she could continue as an ER nurse. I suggested that she consider drawing, coloring, painting, or exploring art as a way to cope with the stress of her essential job. She admitted loving art as a teenager but never pursued it because it didn’t seem practical. I explained that engaging in an artistic hobby or interest provides significant benefits for the brain and body.

Trauma therapists often recommend meditative practices to help people learn to calm the body's nervous system arousal. When we engage in activities such as drawing, music, creative writing, dance, sculpting, and many other art forms, it can induce a meditative-like state of consciousness. Pursuing an art form requires focus in the present moment—an act of mindfulness. When we attend to the present moment with a playful, nonjudgmental attitude, our body can relax and unwind.

Licensed psychotherapist........

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