By: Halima Haruna
On March 27, 2025, the NULab for Digital Humanities and Computational Social Science hosted a hybrid workshop on expressive art therapy as part of Northeastern University’s Civility event series. Marina Strauss, LMHC, Expressive Art Therapist, and adjunct Human Services Faculty led the workshop. A variety of students and faculty attended, including Moira Zellner, NULab Co-Director. The workshop featured an introduction to expressive art therapy, a multi-modal approach to using art and creativity to develop new ideas and support mental health. The workshop was held in the Critical Making Lab in the Centers for Digital Scholarship in Snell Library.
Strauss shared a brief history of expressive therapy. Expressive therapy is similar to drama therapy and was developed by Carl Rogers, one of the founders of humanistic psychology, and his daughter, Natalie Rogers. Expressive therapy combines different art practices like visual art, dance, and music to foster self-compassion in patients with chronic illnesses. Expressive therapy can also help researchers develop creative solutions to problems.
In the workshop, Strauss took a less clinical approach to expressive therapy and focused on application. She led participants through a warm-up exploring individuals’ relationships with creativity and play. The warm-up exercise asked participants to describe this relationship using each hand to create and title a sculpture. One participant described their interlocked fingers as representing being “Held.” Next, Strauss set intentions. Participants were asked to set intentions around their creative freedom and to separate it from the expectation of longevity. Participants were encouraged to embrace their inner critic during the session. The warm-up concluded with a meditation.
Strauss provided participants with prompts to begin exploring. The prompts asked participants to create a mind map, or a vision board or answer the question, “I am the one who…” Participants also came up with their own prompts for their art.
Varied mediums were available, including soft and oil pastels, watercolor, collage, clay, and fine line and brush tip markers. Strauss encouraged participants to let the medium direct the process. She named watercolor as an example that was suited to expressing emotions due to its fluid nature.
Participants were invited to work on their art pieces individually or in groups and partake in the light refreshments provided.
At the end of the work period, participants shared their takeaways. A few participants used the workshop to express and develop project ideas, answer self-defining questions, and respond to the present moment. Strauss concluded by pointing out the value of non-verbal expression in idea development. She encouraged participants to keep their artwork where they could see it regularly.
Marina Strauss can be reached at ma.strauss@northeastern.edu. She is the co-founder of Mystic Open Studio. You can visit the studio’s website at mysticopenstudio.com.
