February 7, 2010 — Stressed out? Grab a paint brush. Starting in February, will offer an art therapy program designed to help students unwind through painting, drawing, and other creative ventures.

�Art therapy is a way for students to decompress, get out of their head, and just take a moment to relax,� says CLHP director Lori Morgan Flood. �Stress can sometimes cause physical, psychological, and spiritual difficulties for students, and we acknowledge that and want to support them.�

Randall James, former director and assistant professor of art therapy at Bowling Green State University and founder of New Life Images, an Oberlin-based art therapy studio, will oversee the program. Beginning February 17, 2010, James will be in Wilder 321 every Wednesday from noon to 1:30 p.m. to get students started on their projects. Once a student attends a Wednesday session, he or she can return any time that Wilder is open to continue working.

The studio will offer a variety of materials�from oil and chalk pastels to oil sticks, pencils, paper, and clay�that are easy and fun for both practiced artists and non-artists alike. �We�re going to have an entire space dedicated to making art for people who are non-artists,� says James. �Our materials are inviting, and they encourage play and creativity.�

�A common misconception many people have about art therapy is that they need to be an artist,� says Flood, �when actually, it�s about using the vehicle of art to move a person into a place of relaxation.�

Research has shown that there is �no separation between what we think and what happens in our body,� adds James. �Our emotions affect our immune systems, and our immune systems affect our emotions.�

One way to positively affect our emotions, he notes, is through visuals. �Emotion and visual images are pretty strongly linked neurologically, so art therapy allows us to explore our emotions, more so than just by talking alone.�

The art therapy program is just one CLHP initiative intended to reach sometimes-overwhelmed and overburdened students. The center also organizes a massage program�offering students sessions with a professional body worker at a reduced rate�as well as study breaks in A-level Mudd during high-stress times such as finals week. There, students can get free 15-minute massages, healthy snacks, and wellness kits. Each kit contains a booklet filled with information on wellness�much of it Oberlin-specific (gym hours, resources on campus, etc.)�as well as a chamomile tea bag, dark chocolate, a biofeedback stress dot, and a stress ball emblazoned with an iconic image of President Marvin Krislov.

�The kits are designed to empower students with both the knowledge and the tools they need to lead a balanced life at Oberlin,� says Corey Spiro �11, a peer health advocate and the project�s student coordinator.

Though stress may be a natural part of the college experience, the CLHP�s efforts are designed to reduce the impact that stress has on students, and thus make Oberlin a healthier and more productive community. �Between the massage-for-relaxation program, wellness kits, and the art therapy program, we�re making progress,� says Flood. �These are all just little ways that our office is trying to help students better navigate their academic and non-academic world around stress.�