The Benefits of Your Brain on Art with Leah Guzman, and a Fun Art Therapy Prompt!

Prepare to explore the health benefits of art as self-care! Do you tell yourself, "I don't have time for my art?" Board-Certified Art Therapist Leah Guzman shares what this and other blocks mean and what to do about them when she joins Amy Funderburk for a discussion of the efficacy of art therapy. How often should you create art for the benefits? How can you use art and symbolism holistically to help heal imbalances? How can you use art as a tool for manifesting? Leah also shares examples of her own affirmations for artists who are afraid to show their art. Leah Guzman is a Board-Certified Art Therapist with over 20 years of experience, professional artist, and international bestselling author of five books dedicated to creativity, healing, and emotional well-being. She specializes in supporting creatives through transformative online art therapy services designed to nurture mental and emotional wellness. 🎨The Art Therapy Prompt:🎨 This art therapy prompt is for all experience levels, and no art experience is required to participate. Join us -- have fun and be free! Suggested materials: A sketchbook, art journal, or other paper Your choice of watercolor pencils, water-soluble oil pastels, pastel pencils, colored pencils, markers, or even crayons. For more about Leah Guzman, please visit her website: https://www.leahguzmanstudio.com/ You can find Leah on Instagram:   / creative.soul.society   and   / leah.guzman.art   ...and Facebook with the Creative Soul Online Retreat group:   / 1668160796774067   ...and right here on YouTube:    / @art.therapy.online   🎁 Amy's freebie! Sign up at the following link and as soon as the doors open for this freebie, I will email you a meditation designed especially for creatives to practice before they begin work in their studio or the blank page or screen: https://amyfunderburkartist.us5.list-... 🎨 All of Leah's artwork examples shared in this video are copyright Leah Guzman, All Rights Reserved. 🎨 All artwork in my intro as well as the paintings behind me during this interview and the Outro are copyright Amy Funderburk, All Rights Reserved. 🎨 Beside me during the Outro: Beltane Fire Horse, oil on panel, 16 inches W x 16 inches H, copyright 2026. Please contact me to purchase artwork or about licensing opportunities for this and other works. 🎨 To see other artwork examples, please visit my website: https://amyfunderburkartist.com/ 🎵 Music from the YouTube Audio Library: Orange Foot -- Dan Henig Thin Places -- by Jesse Gallagher El Pesaj y el Moro -- by Cumbia Deli Chapters: 00:00:00 - 00:01:37 Intro and welcome, Leah Guzman 00:01:38 - 00:03:35 Leah's story 00:03:36 - 00:06:42 "Your brain on art" - the efficacy of art therapy and who can benefit; how non-artists can reduce cortisol with art 00:06:43 - 00:08:23 What is the difference between art therapy vs therapeutic art? 00:08:24 - 00:11:12 Art as self care; what "I don't have time for my art" and other blocks actually mean; how often should you do art for the benefits? 00:11:13 - 00:12:44 Examples of simple yet effective prompts 00:12:45 - 00:13:47 Instructions for our prompt, pareidolia, suggested materials 00:13:48 - 00:14:02 Another "I Am" prompt example 00:14:03 - 00:18:23 More instructions, we begin our art therapy prompt. 00:18:24 - 00:19:31 The role of the art therapist regarding someone's piece 00:19:32 - 00:21:32 Has being an art therapist affected how Leah views artwork in museums? 00:21:33 - 00:21 44 The cat symbolism in Leah's art therapy piece today 00:21:45 - 00:25:45 Leah's use of the sacred chakras, manifestation, and the Law of Attraction in art therapy; how you can use art and symbolism holistically to help heal imbalances 00:25:46 - 00:27:26 How you can use art in manifesting 00:27:27 - 00:29:12 The role of affirmations in conjunction with therapeutic artmaking; examples of affirmations for artists who are afraid to show or share their art. 00:29:31 – 00:32:10 The Creative Soul Society and Leah's Facebook group 00:32:11 – 00:35:49 What is Leah working on now? ...and how does she carve out studio time? 00:35:50 - 00:37:12 How can viewers find her? 00:37:13 - 00:37:44 Outro 00:37:45 - 00:37:52 The completed Rising Phoenix and Cozy Cat! Please note that the views of each guest on this channel are their own, and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Amy Funderburk. #arttherapy #art #creativity #artistinterview #drawing #pareidolia