Couples art therapy activities are a fantastic creative and productive way to help you dig deeper into your relationship while helping both of you understand yourselves and each other a little better. This deep understanding can ultimately help pave the way for a successful relationship. In this article, I’ll show you 5 simple Art Therapy Activities for Couples to help strengthen your relationship and its useful benefits whether it’s for a fun date night, getting to know each other on a deeper level, or working on some couples’ issues.
Contents
- What Are Art Therapy Exercises for Couples?
- Why is Art Therapy Good for Couples?
- How Does Art Therapy Help in a Relationship?
- Meaningful Art Therapy Activities for Couples to Strengthen Your Relationship
Let’s get into it!
What Are Art Therapy Exercises for Couples?
Art therapy activities for couples are visual art exercises including but not limited to the arts and crafts such as drawing, painting, & more, that are meant to mend, strengthen, or deeply analyze a relationship in any state, whether things are going smoothly or not. They can help couples provide insight into the many dynamics and issues that may be straining or strengthening a relationship.
They use the expressive arts with couples in mind rather just one individual and can be done with your significant other or even a friend, as long as it’s someone you are close with or at least consider a good friend.
They also take longer than art therapy exercises for 1 person because it involves two people, and needs more time for the benefits to be effective.
Why is Art Therapy Good for Couples?
There are multiple benefits for using art therapy together as a couple:
- It can bring couples together emotionally & physically
- Can form deep connections
- Helps both parties work on relationship issues such as external stressors, conflicts, intimacy, and feelings of disconnection
- It’s a productive & fun way to spend time together; Can even be used for date night
- Helps both people get a better understanding of each other
- Can open the door for more emotional and physical intimacy
- Helps you focus on the more important aspects of your partner such as their values and who they are rather than material things
Now, let’s a take a look at how these activities help a relationship.
How Does Art Therapy Help in a Relationship?
Art therapy can be a huge help in strengthening a relationship because it allows a couple to explore the mental spaces of each other freely, through artistic expression.
It can help you better communicate your thoughts & feelings by allowing you to take a deep look and process certain aspects of you relationship that may or not be working.
It can be so easy to focus on some of the small, maybe annoying things you find about your partner but art therapy exercises for couples help both people focus on the larger picture.
Ultimately, couples art therapy activities help you understand yourself better which in turn, greatly helps the relationship.
The more each person can understand themselves, the better a person they’ll be for their relationship!
Meaningful Art Therapy Activities for Couples to Strengthen Your Relationship
Materials: Something to draw with and something to draw on
For these exercises, I used Copic markers and Sharpie for the colored drawings and used a black fineliner for sketches and doodles on a regular sheet of copy/printers paper (8.5 x11 inches).
1. Create a Half- Heart Drawing
Time: 10-30 minutes
1. Draw a large heart outline on a whole sheet of paper.
You can use red or any color you both like and the outline doesn’t need to be perfect.
2. Fold the middle of the heart in half.
3. Then, one partner draws or writes what they love about the other in one side of the folded heart drawing.
Think of at least 3-5 things that you love about your partner.
It can be anything from the way they look at you, how they show affection, or other habits and quirks you find attractive.
Then, draw those things inside the heart.
Stay away from anything negative for now, as this couples art therapy activity is meant to focus on the strengths each partner brings into the relationship.
4. Flip the drawing over to the empty side of the heart and give it to your partner. The second partner writes or draws what they love on the other half of the heart.
5. Once they’re finished, unfold the heart.
The completed drawing makes a lovely picture that the both of you created. You can frame it, hang it up, or put it in a couples’ art therapy journal.
How This Couples Art Therapy Activity Strengthens Your Relationship
This is a great example of using the expressive arts with couples because it focuses on creatively building your relationship by showing what you appreciate about the other person. It forces both of you to not focus on the negative, which can be emotionally damaging to your partner in the wrong situation.
The main point of this couples art therapy activity is to help both people strengthen their relationship through gratitude and appreciation for one another.
It’s really nice when you receive compliments from someone, especially someone you really care about!
It makes both of you feel fantastic and brings you emotionally closer to each other.
2. Make Paper Hearts with Couples’ Activities
Time: 10-20 minutes
- 1 Pair of Scissors
- 2 Sheets of paper are needed – 1 for each partner, or you can fold 1 sheet in half and split it
- Preferably a Red Marker – but any color will do
- A Pen
If you want to get really creative with your heart drawings, check out these 15 simple and satisfying Heart Drawing Ideas!
1. Each partner draws 5-10 hearts or shapes
If you don’t want to use hearts, use other shapes like circles, squares, diamonds, or stars. Just make they’re simple enough to cut out.
2. Cut out the shapes
3. Write an activity you’d like to do together on the back of each cutout.
You can even write something spicy or sweet inside the shape, sparking the way for more intimacy.
4. Fold it up if you’d like, then put all the shapes in a container, jar, hat, etc.
5. Each partner reaches in and pulls out 1-2 shapes and reads what’s on the back
6. To better understand each other, each partner asks why they chose this activity or wrote what they did.
Asking ‘why’ gives insight into each partner’s reason and personality, showing who they are, their values, or clearing up misconceptions.
You can ask why it’s important to them, what made them write or want to do this activity, and other similar questions.
If it’s an activity, try scheduling this next time for your date or as your next couples activity, when you have alone time together!
How This Couples Art Therapy Activity Strengthens Your Relationship
What’s so great about this activity is that it gives a reason and a bit of insight into who you are and your personality, based on the things you like to do. Plus, you may find something fun about your partner that you didn’t even know!
If you’d like to get a bit more fancy with it or have more time, you can try making origami hearts instead. You can even write your special activity inside before you fold it up. Here’s an easy Heart Origami Tutorial for beginners to try.
Aren’t art therapy exercises for couples fun?
3. Animal Pet Peeve Drawing
Each partner draws the outline of any animal they’d like, on their own sheet of paper.
Inside, draw or write 1-3 pet peeves about the other.
Try not to bring in relationships with other people, as this could get heated quickly. Instead, focus on small things like habits.
This opens up a discussion with both partners. If these habits get to each of you, ask why the other person does it, and find out more. It could be something as simple as ‘I’m too lazy’ or ‘don’t have the time’.
By opening up this type of discussion, the both of you are learning more about your habits, thought processes, and personality in an understanding way without putting the other person down or using harsh words. It’s a fantastic way to find a middle ground between the both of you.
Also, try to figure out why a particular habit may be irritating you. You can do this on your own or talk it out with your partner.
- Make a small list of pet peeves about your partner
- Write down how each makes you feel
- Then, write why you feel that way
- It’s okay to have a particular feeling about something
- Try to work through your feelings & understand them
- If it ends up not being a big deal, especially if it doesn’t have anything to do with how your partner treats you, then try not to focus on fixing it right now
- Remember, these small habits can be worked on together with clear communication but aren’t worth focusing on during the early stages of a relationship (0-4 months in)
The more you understand how and why you react to certain things in a relationship or to someone else’s habits, the more you’re able to understand yourself and have stronger relationships with those close to you.
4. Holding Hands Art Therapy Activity for Couples
Time: 10-30 min
1. Draw a pair of holding hands.
Here are some simple reference pictures and drawings of holding hands if you don’t know how to draw a pair of holding hands.
But if that’s too complicated, then just try drawing a pair of hands.
Whatever you choose to draw, make them a bit large – both of you will be drawing inside the hands!
2. Each partner thinks of 3-5 skills or habits they appreciate about the other
3. Write or draw those inside one hand, while the 2nd partner draws their items in the other hand
You can just draw simple doodles if each of you’d like or color them in to make them stand out. Whatever is easiest for each of you.
4. The finished drawing should look like this
An adorable picture representing the things you appreciate and notice about each other.
5. Each partner then explains why they chose those specific attributes
Try your best to really elaborate why you appreciate this trait about them.
It will help build up and strengthen your partner’s confidence and trust with you and the relationship, both when they’re with you or alone.
How This Couples Art Therapy Activity Strengthens Your Relationship
The main idea behind this art therapy activity for couples is to show what little nuances you notice about each other, that the other might not.
It’s a fantastic way to show how you’re both different and alike at the same time.
This expressive art therapy activity focuses on things that each individual succeeds at, making both people feel emotionally satisfied and appreciated.
Build the other person up and give them more confidence on the relationship by acknowledging who they are and what makes them so unique!
This is one of those art therapy activities for couples that can help mend your relationship, even making it stronger.
If you or your partner don’t have the time to do art therapy together but still like to show your appreciation with some gorgeous art & a little bit of DIY, grab these Relaxing & Mood-Boosting Printable Wall Arts, print them out, write a little message on the back of the print about why you care about them / what you appreciate, & give it to them! It just may put a smile on their face 😉
5. Couples’ Cloud Drawing for Stress Relief
Time: 10-30 min
Part of doing expressive arts with couples is to help both parties better understand each other, both in the good times and bad.
And one of those more difficult times is when one or both partners are stressed.
This can get quite ugly if there’s not clear communication or there are assumptions floating around about what the cause may be, which can lead to unknowingly making mean comments or jabs at your partner, making them feel worse about you, themselves, the situation, or even all three.
Instead, ask you’re partner how they’re doing, and if there’s anything you can do to help in the moment.
It’s okay if nothing needs to be solved right now and they just need time to themselves.
A perfect example of an exercise of art therapy for couples to relieve stress is to make a cloud drawing.
1. Draw a cloud outline
Decided which partner will draw the cloud.
Try to use the whole sheet of paper and make it big.
Use whatever color makes the both of you calm.
This is a shared experience, so it’s fun and will mean a lot more to both of you if you can agree on something you both like. I find blue to be a very relaxing and comforting color.
2. Each partner choose min. 3-5 things that relieves stress for them
These items can be either something you do alone or that you do together for stress relief. But try to make it a combination of both.
3. Draw or write these items inside the cloud
Take turns drawing or writing each item down.
4. You can actively discuss and explain these while the other partner is completing their portion
Or when you’re both done, so each of has full attention on the other.
How does each activity help in calming you or relieve stress?
How does it put less strain on the relationship?
Asking these types of questions will give both of you more insight into your habits and personality.
How This Couples Art Therapy Exercise Strengthens Your Relationship
This simple activity reflects on how and why you take care of yourself and how you lift each other up in hard times.
It shows you’ve got each other’s back, building a deeper, more meaningful connection. After all, what’s a relationship if you don’t have trust – something that’s 100% needed for any relationship to last and succeed.
Whether you’re by yourself or with a partner, check out these simple and quick Calming Art Therapy Activities for Stress Management or how to make a Natural Stress Relief with Drawing for Beginners & 7 Ways It Halts Stress for more stress relief ideas!
For more easy & relaxing art therapy activities & ideas for all ages, whether you’d like to do them by yourself or with your significant other, check out the official Drawism store filled with simple & relaxing printable art therapy prompts & activities with instantly downloadable coloring pages, printable self-care / affirmation posters, & gorgeous calming printable wall art for a creative ‘pick-me-up’, mental breather, or just something to scratch that creative itch!
More Related Art Therapy Activities & Resources:
- Calming Art Therapy Activities for Stress Management | Post
- Soothing Art Therapy Activities for Aggression | Post
- 15 Relaxing Simple Art Therapy Activities for All Skill Levels | Post
- Free Printable Stress Relief Cheat Sheet | Freebie
- 10 Expressive Art Therapy Activities to Try Now | Post
- 15 Anxiety Art Therapy Drawing Activities to Help You Feel Calm Now | Post
- Download 9 Free Mood Boosting Art Therapy Drawing Activities for Anxiety | Freebie
- Easy Art Journal Therapy for Beginners | Post
- 10 Euphoric Drawing Art Therapy Prompts for Racing Thoughts | Post
- Natural Stress Relief with Drawing for Beginners & 7 Ways It Halts Stress | Post
- Comforting Indoor Fall Art Therapy Activities to Get You Relaxed | Post
- The Difference Between Traditional Art Expression vs. Expressive Art Therapy | Post
- 15 Quick Doodles to Draw When You’re Bored | Post
- Mood-Boosting & Calming Printable Wall Art When You Don’t Have Time for Art Therapy | Store
Is this your first time doing art therapy activities for couples or have you done them before? Is this something you’re looking forward to try with your partner?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and see you in the next post!
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