Tag: Art Therapy

In this second episode of the Your Brain on Art series, Alex discusses Zen, how meditation and mindfulness can aid mental wellness and what this says about flow states and the creative process.

Alex gets mental and physical in the bumper first episode on his series that seeks to illuminate the biological and psychological causes of mental illness and the reasons why art can help treat and prevent it. In this episode he discusses the causes of the epidemic of mental illness we see in society at the moment, offers some insight onto the mechanisms leading to this, and discusses how various treatments help us.

Alex reflects on how, during these turbulent times, art is more important than ever to help us cope, express our views, connect with society, and ultimately help us maintain our mental wellness and that of those around us.

Alex explains how problem solving is central to the practise of creativity via mathematical proofs and magicians in this long awaited second part of the How to be Creative series.

Alex talks about overthinking as an anxiety response, why this happens and how to combat it.

Alex talks candidly about his recent resurgence of mental illness, what happened to cause it, and how he intends to fight back with the help of, you guessed it, art!

Alex kicks off a new series of a yet unknown number of episodes on creativity. He explores the nature of creativity using examples from the world of jazz, introducing the core concepts that will be covered in upcoming episodes.

Alex talks about his move to a new house and studio, how such transitions affect his mental health and how it’s essential to make space and time for your creative therapy during times of transition.

Alex challenges the dangerous myth that suffering is essential for artistic creation, emphasizing that while art can reflect personal pain, it should not be a cause of suffering. Drawing on examples from Van Gogh to Kurt Cobain, he passionately argues against expecting artists to endure pain for art’s sake, advocating instead for recognizing art as a means of healing and self-regulation.