{"version":"1.0","type":"card","id":"09b12ca7-9040-472f-8c6e-910c69b8bb4b","url":"https://stacklist.com/card/09b12ca7-9040-472f-8c6e-910c69b8bb4b","title":"ashleigh 🦋 online art therapy for self-discovery & wellbeing | Simple art—it might not seem like mu","source_url":"https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIUXTlFBnuK/?igsh=MWFpeDd0aDFkY2V1dA==","note":"Simple art—it might not seem like much, but your nervous system notices and something simple might actually be what it needs to help combat the stress.\n\nSmall, repetitive motions like drawing squares, colouring them in and doing dots and lines; they help calm the amygdala, the part of the brain that processes fear and threat, and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps us rest and regulate. You’re not ignoring the stress, but you’re gently guiding your body into a calmer state where it feels safer.\n\nArt like this doesn’t need to be profound or perfect. In fact, the beauty lies in its simplicity. When we engage in rhythmic, process-based drawing, our prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for decision-making and problem-solving—can come back online. This means that instead of reacting impulsively or shutting down, we’re more able to think clearly and make grounded choices about how to support ourselves through whatever stressor we’re facing.\n\nEven five minutes of doodling can lower cortisol levels, the hormone associated with chronic stress. When we repeat patterns or focus on textures, our brain gets a break from overthinking and shifts into a state similar to meditation. These small creative practices become a soft, steadying anchor. Your art doesn’t have to “mean” anything to have meaning—it’s already helping your brain and body find their way back to center.\n\n#arttherapy #therapeuticart #neuroscience\". ","image":{"url":"https://ucarecdn.com/bb538a3a-2a22-4fc4-8ad9-9c2a6d5f6612/","alt":"ashleigh 🦋 online art therapy for self-discovery & wellbeing | Simple art—it might not seem like mu","width":1200,"height":630},"stack":{"id":"187ca5e1-a719-4c38-ae5b-1bfa93c30e10","title":"Mental Care","url":"https://stacklist.com/stack/187ca5e1-a719-4c38-ae5b-1bfa93c30e10"},"created_at":"2025-05-05T14:51:55.381Z","updated_at":null,"aco":{"summary":"This website is the Instagram login and sign-up page. It offers options to log in to your existing account or create a new one. The page includes links to various resources like About, Blog, Jobs, Help, API, Privacy, Terms, Locations, Instagram Lite, Threads, Contact, and Meta Verified.  It also provides options to switch languages. \n","tags":[],"key_entities":[],"classification":null,"language":null,"confidence":null,"provenance":null,"token_counts":{"approximate":95},"content_hash":null,"acp_version":"0.2","body_available":false,"body_tokens":0,"visibility":"public","agent_accessible":true,"status":"final"},"_links":{"self":"/api/public/card/09b12ca7-9040-472f-8c6e-910c69b8bb4b.json","html":"https://stacklist.com/card/09b12ca7-9040-472f-8c6e-910c69b8bb4b","md":"/api/public/card/09b12ca7-9040-472f-8c6e-910c69b8bb4b.md","stack_json":"/api/public/stack/187ca5e1-a719-4c38-ae5b-1bfa93c30e10.json"}}