A Creative Task can be any creative activity that will facilitate insight or change. There are both physical and mental benefits from creating art, expressing yourself in a creative way. Reduction in stress and anxiety; increases in positive emotions. Reductions in distress and negative emotions. Practicing creativity generates a lot of benefits.  According to researchers Ebersole & Hess, (1998) here’s a list of things that creative expression may do for you:

• Create balance and order
• Give a sense of control over the external world
• Make something positive out of a loss, bad experience or depression
• Maintain your sense of integrity
• Help resolve conflicts
• Make thought and feeling clear
• A greater sense of well-being and personal growth

A Creative Task can help us access the wisdom and resourcefulness of the subconscious mind. It calms the mind, occupies the hands and focuses attention. This level of concentration creates a state of peace, blocking out negative or intrusive thoughts.

It is sometimes thought that only certain people are ‘creative’, and that to be creative you need to have an unusual talent. This is not the case – each one of us is capable of expressing ourselves creatively in some area.

Creating a collage is a good example of a Creative Task that can clarify goals and bring healing.

How to create a collage:

• You will need: a collection of old magazines a big piece of cardboard (choose whatever colour is most significant for you), scissors, glue and some good music to listen to.
• Set aside plenty of time and create a space in your house where you can put your favorite music on and spread your things out and make as much mess as you like. Before you begin, take five to ten minutes to relax deeply and access a trance state.
• Then ask your higher self/subconscious mind, the following question: what will it be like for me when _______________ (insert the goal)?
• Just ask the question and then let yourself relax more deeply.
• Then, when you are ready, let your eyes open, and start going through the magazines, tearing out all the pictures, colours and words that seem to answer that question for you. Tear anything that strikes you as being related to your goal.
• When you have torn out a selection of pictures, colours and words, you can then stick them down on the board as a collage. You may also like to add a photograph of yourself, or of significant others that you feel helps to answer this question.
• Put your collage where you can see it.

There is no right or wrong way of doing this exercise just have fun and play with this.

 “I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.” -Dr. Seuss