Finding beauty and community as acts of self care
It is hard to avoid ugly right now. It is present in the news headlines, in the stories we witness in our work, and even (for some of us) in the dark, cold, and rainy shift we find ourselves in. How do we increase our opportunities to encounter beauty? And why?
There is robust research indicating that engaging with art and creative activities can have a significant impact on mental health and well-being. There are documented emotional, cognitive, social, and physiological benefits. In a recent APA Monitor article titled Art therapy and engagement with the arts Weir (2025) wrote, “Art therapy and engagement with the arts have been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, ease pain, help people heal from trauma, protect against cognitive decline, and enhance social cohesion, among other benefits” (para. 5). For those of you who like the neuroscience angle, Barnett and Vasiu (2024) discussed the neural mechanisms behind the therapeutic effects of creative arts on mental and physical health. Their article reviewed some of the benefits of art therapy including reduced cortisol levels and clinical effects on anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and autism. They detailed the impact of music therapy in improving vital signs, myocardial oxygen demand, and reducing anxiety after acute myocardial infarctions. Music therapy, they explained, can reduce stress-related biomarkers across various patient populations. Dance movement therapy (DMT), according to their review, appears to be an effective intervention for decreasing depression and anxiety and increasing quality of life, interpersonal skills, and cognitive functions. Other studies review how engagement with the arts can lower stress hormones like cortisol, improve heart rate and blood pressure, boost concentration, build self-esteem, and increase life satisfaction.
Where do you find beauty?
What more do you need to convince you to head out to some live music, kick up your heels, or grab an art book from the shelf and spend some time letting your brain process visual art?
Well, maybe a friend!
The CDC (2024) discussed the epidemic of loneliness that we are facing and published the guide to social connection . Key points in the publication include the value of staying connected to others in creating feelings of belonging and being loved, cared for, and valued. They focus on the role of social connections in maintaining mental and physical health. Connection to others, the CDC indicated, can also protect against serious illness and disease. People with stronger social connections are more likely to live longer and healthier lives. A sense of community has been found to provide a sense of belonging, support, and validation, which are linked to decreased depression, anxiety, and stress. Social connection can buffer against the challenges in life, foster emotional regulation, and provide a resourcing that builds collective resilience.
This sense of community and connection is needed more than ever. The American Psychological Association (APA, 2025) report on stress in America is titled Stress in America 2025: A crisis of connection. They reported that 62% of U.S. adults reported societal division as a significant source of stress in their lives and “beyond this concern about societal division lies a deeper, more pervasive emotional strain: loneliness” (para. 3). According to the survey results, the emotional strain of loneliness and societal division coincides with declining health and unhealthy coping.
“Art therapy and engagement with the arts have been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, ease pain, help people heal from trauma, protect against cognitive decline, and enhance social cohesion, among other benefits.”
– Weir (2025)
So how can you support your physical and mental health by finding some local beauty in community?
The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) offers Artful Practices for Well-Being, a program that uses art to promote mental and emotional well-being. It includes audio playlists featuring meditation, reflection, and somatic exercise with the goal of helping individuals feel more grounded, self-aware, and at peace, especially in uncertain times. The program was developed by a diverse group of professionals, including neuroscientists, therapists, and mindfulness teachers.
The Portland Art Museum has a lovely exhibit right now of Yoshida Chizuko prints in addition to their regular exhibits, and you can indulge in an artful meal at the new Coquelico Cafe run by Providore Fine Foods. The new wing opens November 20, 2025!
The Artists Repertory Theater is running a fabulous play titled The Bed Trick by Keiko Green, and if you are lucky you may be able to catch the after production discussion with a psychoanalyst from the Oregon Psychoanalytic Center's Arts on the Couch program
Portland can be such a creative city so take advantage of any of the multitude of events, be it live music, ecstatic dance, or forest bathing; visiting the Japanese Garden, Chinese Garden, or Crytal Springs Rhododendron Garden;, or perhaps browsing the arts section at Powell's Books.
Grab a friend to go with you or sign up to participate in a group discussion to make it social. Pairing art and community is a double investment in your well-being and a wonderful means of engaging in self-care/community care.
Originally published in the Oregon Psychological Association Newsletter, December 2025
References
American Psychological Association. (2025). Stress in America 2025: A crisis of connection. https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/stress-in-america/2025
Barnett, K. S., & Vasiu, F. (2024). How the arts heal: A review of the neural mechanisms behind the therapeutic effects of creative arts on mental and physical health. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 18. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/behavioral-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1422361/full
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2024). Social connection. Social Connection | Social Connection | CDC
Weir, K. (2025, September 1). What happens in the brain when we experience art. Monitor on Psychology, 56(6). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2025/09/art-mind-brain