The World Mental Health Survey recently shared that over 70% of adults across the world report experiencing at least one traumatic event in their lives. This number may come as a shock and remind us of why the media is talking about a “mental health crisis”. Trauma is linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, addiction, chronic pain, and even heart disease. Yet traditional therapies like CBT-based counselling often fail to reach deeper wounds because trauma lodges itself in the body and subconscious mind. This is where art comes in. Painting, music, dance, poetry, sculpture, and creative expression bypass the thinking brain and speak directly to the parts of us that hold trauma’s pain in images, sensations, and movements.

Why Art Matters for Trauma Recovery

In his extensive work on trauma, Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk, Professor of Psychiatry and Medical Director of the Trauma Centre at Boston University, has repeatedly said that trauma is not an intense form of stress. As he puts it:

“People oftentimes confuse trauma with stress. You know, we all get stressed and when the stress is over you sooner or later are back where you were before. But trauma is a horrendous experience … an ‘oh my god’ type experience that leaves you with intense emotions and very little thinking. It’s like a speechless terror that you experience.”

This is where art swoops in: Art engages your brain, distracts you from panic attacks linked to trauma, and over time, it allows you to use words to express the pain.

In a way, art is a primer for counselling and classical therapy.

Art will reconnect you to your body

Van der Kolk repeats that a core wound of trauma is disconnection from one’s own body, from other people, and from one’s sense of possibility.

“You feel disconnected from other people … your world becomes darker and darker and more and more shrunk … The core issue is that your body needs to feel safe and your mind needs to open itself up to new possibilities, not logical possibilities but ways of trying to access yourself.”

Art offers precisely this: a way to “access yourself” beyond the limitations of words.

It is also a safe space

Van der Kolk points out the profound role of creative spaces in dissolving shame.

“One thing is when you have all these intense sensations and emotions, you feel so embarrassed about yourself, right? So the shame is a huge issue. And then you hang out with a bunch of artists who say, ‘Let’s just make a mask…’  you get away from trying to not lose control into an atmosphere where things are allowed to happen, where you’re free to be silly and to explore stuff that you ordinarily haven’t been exposed to.”

Here, art functions as a safe container. In a painting workshop or dance circle, there is no “wrong” way to express what’s inside. This acceptance creates the psychological safety that you need to process the terror, rage, grief, and confusion that trauma locks away.

So what pieces could you check out ?

To help heal or understand your trauma, you could first aim to find out what type of art speaks to you before delving straight into it. One of the most underestimated practices is mask-making. Just like African tribes created warrior masks to scare off enemies, you would be invited to create a mask that reflects how you feel. This will help you exteriorise your inner feelings, so to speak. This helps tackle the issue with words feeling limited when it comes to expressing trauma.

“Exuberant flower strength mask” by Gioia Chilton. Colour tissue over plastic mould.

Jean-Michel Basquiat’s untitled skull paintings can also have a very vivid effect on the observer. Through his painting and its electric colours, he recounts his story of racial trauma and existential pain. A modern take on Munch’s scream?

You could also explore Min Tanaka’s “Body Weather”, which is a dance performance that is meant to help with trauma release through movement.

Art is a lifeline for those who struggle with trauma and shouldn’t be underestimated as a therapeutic tool.

Suzanne Latre is a published author, news editor for World at Large and Le Parisien Matin and has been channelling her passion for mental health into her writing.

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