5 Art Therapy Prompts to Ease Anxiety for Highly Sensitive People (HSPs)

As a highly sensitive person (HSP) in New York’s high-energy environment, anxiety can feel like an uninvited guest. Whether it’s Brooklyn’s bustling streets or the pressure of virtual meetings upstate, sensory overload is real. As a virtual creative arts therapist based in Brooklyn, serving all of New York State, I use somatic art therapy and EMDR to helpHSPs find calm.

Try these five art therapy prompts at home to soothe your nervous system:

1. Safe Space Sketch
Draw a place—real or imagined—where you feel completely at peace. Use soft colors like blues or greens to evoke calm.As you sketch, sync with your breath: inhale for 4, exhale for 6. Notice your body’s response. This somatic exercisecreates a visual anchor for HSPs. Journal: What elements feel most grounding?

2. Emotion Mandala
Create a circular mandala on a blank page to represent your anxiety. Use bold colors for intense emotions, softer ones forcalm. HSPs often absorb others’ energy; this prompt externalizes those feelings. Reflect: What patterns or colors surprisedyou?

3. Breath and Line Flow
Draw continuous lines as you breathe slowly (inhale 4, exhale 6). Let the lines flow freely, no judgment. This mimicsEMDR’s bilateral movement, calming your mind. Try: Pair with a soothing playlist for deeper relaxation.

4. Gratitude Collage
Use old magazines or free digital tools like Canva to create a collage of things you’re grateful for—a sunset, a kind word,a favorite song. HSPs thrive on meaning; this builds resilience against anxiety. Journal: How did gratitude shift yourperspective?

5. Body Map
Trace your silhouette (or imagine it) and color areas where you feel anxiety—tight chest, racing heart. Add words orsymbols for emotions. This somatic exercise connects body and mind, ideal for HSPs. Reflect: Which area would you liketo explore in therapy?

Why It Works
Art therapy offers HSPs a non-verbal way to process intense emotions, blending seamlessly with mindfulness and EMDRin my virtual sessions. Whether you’re in Brooklyn, Albany, or Syracuse, my trauma-informed approach is tailored toyour sensitivity.

Take the Next Step
Ready to ease anxiety with creative arts therapy? Book your free 15-minute consultation here.

Irene Maropakis, LCAT, specializes in working with highly sensitive, creative people who struggle with anxiety, people-pleasing, and relationship patterns that no longer serve them. She practices holistic, trauma-informed therapy that honorsthe intersection of mental health, creativity, and spiritual awareness in Brooklyn, NY, and virtually throughout New YorkState.