10 Best Art Therapy Activities for Couples to Strengthen Their Bond

Art therapy activities for couples can be a transformative tool for those looking to strengthen their bond and enhance communication. At Scholistico, we offer a comprehensive Art Therapy Practitioner Training Course that equips you with the skills to guide couples through creative exercises. Let’s explore 10 engaging art therapy activities designed specifically for couples, backed by research and expert insights.

1. Collaborative Painting

Time Required: 30-60 minutes

Materials Needed: Canvas, acrylic paints, brushes, water cups, paper towels

Create a shared masterpiece by painting together on the same canvas. This activity encourages teamwork, non-verbal communication, and creative collaboration between partners. Begin by selecting a canvas size that allows both individuals to work comfortably side by side. Choose a variety of paint colors and brushes to ensure a diverse range of artistic expression.

Each partner takes turns adding to the painting, responding to the other’s brushstrokes. This turn-based approach fosters patience and mutual respect, as you learn to appreciate and build upon each other’s contributions. As you paint, pay attention to your partner’s body language and artistic choices, which can reveal insights into their mood, preferences, and thought processes.

The result is a visual representation of your relationship dynamics, showcasing how you interact, compromise, and create harmony together. This activity can be particularly enlightening for couples who struggle with verbal communication, as it provides an alternative means of expression and understanding.

To enhance the experience, consider setting a theme or intention for your painting beforehand.

Benefits: Research published in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy suggests that collaborative art-making can improve couple communication and increase relationship satisfaction ¹.

2. Emotion Color Wheel

Time Required: 20-30 minutes

Materials Needed: Pre-drawn color wheel, colored pencils or markers

This exercise promotes emotional awareness and opens up conversations about feelings within the relationship. It’s a great way to unleash potential through art therapy.

Using a pre-drawn color wheel, partners assign colors to different emotions and discuss their choices. This creative exercise, rooted in art therapy principles, encourages couples to explore their emotional landscapes in a visual and interactive way. Partners can choose from a wide spectrum of colors, including primary, secondary, and tertiary hues, to represent various emotions such as joy, anger, sadness, fear, love, and contentment.

As couples engage in this activity, they often discover fascinating insights about themselves and each other. For instance, one partner might associate red with passion, while the other sees it as a representation of anger. These differences in perception can lead to meaningful discussions about individual experiences and interpretations of emotions. The exercise also helps partners identify and articulate feelings that may be difficult to express verbally, fostering improved emotional communication within the relationship.

Benefits: A study in the Art Therapy journal found that color-based emotional expression activities can enhance emotional intelligence and self-awareness ².

3. Relationship Timeline Collage

Time Required: 60-90 minutes

Materials Needed: Magazines, scissors, glue, large paper

Create a visual timeline of your relationship using magazine cutouts. This engaging and creative activity helps couples reflect on their journey together and set future goals. Begin by gathering a variety of magazines, scissors, glue, and a large poster board or canvas. As you flip through the magazines, look for images, words, and phrases that represent significant moments, milestones, and emotions in your relationship.

Start your timeline from when you first met and progress chronologically through your relationship. Include both big events like your first date, moving in together, or getting married, as well as smaller, meaningful moments that have shaped your bond. Don’t forget to incorporate symbols or images that represent your shared interests, inside jokes, and dreams for the future.

This process encourages open communication as you discuss and agree on which moments to include. It also allows you to revisit happy memories and work through any challenging times you’ve overcome together.

Benefits: Research in the Journal of Creativity in Mental Health indicates that creating visual narratives can enhance couple bonding and foster a shared sense of history ³.

4. Clay Sculpture Dialogue

Time Required: 45-60 minutes

Materials Needed: Clay, sculpting tools, conversation prompts

This exercise is particularly effective for stress reduction in relationships.

Each partner molds a piece of clay while discussing a relationship topic. The tactile experience can help release tension and facilitate open communication. This creative and interactive approach to couples therapy, known as clay therapy or art therapy, engages multiple senses and provides a non-verbal outlet for emotions. As partners work with the malleable material, they can physically express their feelings, frustrations, or hopes, which may be difficult to articulate verbally.

The act of molding clay can be both soothing and meditative, allowing individuals to relax and become more receptive to their partner’s perspective. The therapist may guide the conversation, encouraging partners to share their thoughts about the shapes they’re creating and how they relate to their relationship. This process can reveal subconscious feelings or concerns that might not surface in traditional talk therapy.

Moreover, the collaborative nature of this exercise can foster a sense of teamwork and shared experience.

Benefits: A study in the American Journal of Art Therapy found that clay work can reduce stress and anxiety while promoting emotional expression ⁴.

5. Mirror Drawing

Time Required: 15-20 minutes

Materials Needed: Paper, pencils or markers

Partners sit facing each other and try to draw their partner’s portrait without looking at the paper. This exercise, known as “blind contour drawing,” is a popular activity in art therapy and relationship workshops. It requires participants to focus intently on their partner’s features while allowing their hand to move freely across the page. This often leads to laughter and helps couples see each other in a new light.

The resulting portraits are usually comical and distorted, as the artist’s hand moves independently from their visual perception. This disconnect between observation and execution creates unexpected and often amusing results. The activity encourages partners to study each other’s faces closely, noticing details they may have overlooked before, such as the curve of an eyebrow or the shape of a nose.

Beyond the entertainment value, this exercise serves several important purposes in strengthening relationships. It promotes non-verbal communication and intimacy, as partners maintain eye contact throughout the process.

Benefits: Research suggests that playful activities like mirror drawing can increase relationship satisfaction and intimacy ⁵.

Benefits: Studies have shown that creating mandalas can reduce anxiety and increase mindfulness in couples ⁶.

6. Mandala Creation

Time Required: 30-45 minutes

Materials Needed: Large circular paper, colored pencils or markers

Couples work together to create a symmetrical mandala design, an ancient spiritual and ritual symbol that represents the universe in Hindu and Buddhist traditions. This meditative activity promotes relaxation and unity, allowing partners to connect on a deeper level while engaging in a creative process. As they collaboratively choose colors, patterns, and shapes, couples practice communication, compromise, and shared decision-making skills.

The act of creating a mandala is inherently calming, as it requires focus and attention to detail, which can help reduce stress and anxiety. The circular nature of the mandala symbolizes wholeness and eternity, reflecting the cyclical nature of life and relationships. By working on opposite sides of the design and meeting in the middle, couples physically and metaphorically come together, reinforcing their bond.

This activity can be particularly beneficial for couples facing challenges or seeking to strengthen their relationship.

For more mandala ideas, check out our 50 Art Therapy Exercises eBook.

7. Relationship Vision Board

Time Required: 60-90 minutes

Materials Needed:

• Poster board
• Magazines
• Scissors
• Glue
• Markers

Create a shared vision board representing your hopes and dreams for the relationship. This activity helps align goals and foster a sense of shared purpose. To begin, gather materials such as magazines, scissors, glue, markers, and a large poster board or cork board. Set aside dedicated time for both partners to work on this project together, free from distractions.

As you flip through magazines, cut out images, words, and phrases that resonate with your aspirations for the relationship. These might include travel destinations, career goals, family plans, or personal growth objectives. Encourage open communication during this process, discussing why certain elements are meaningful to each of you.

Arrange the collected items on the board in a way that feels visually appealing and balanced to both partners. This collaborative effort allows you to see where your individual dreams overlap and where they might differ, providing opportunities for compromise and understanding.

Once complete, display the vision board in a prominent place in your home.

Benefits: Research in the Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy indicates that creating shared goals can strengthen relationship commitment ⁷.

8. Blind Contour Drawing

Time Required: 15-20 minutes

Materials Needed: Paper, pencils or pens

Partners take turns drawing each other without looking at the paper, a technique known as “blind contour drawing.” This exercise builds trust and encourages partners to truly see one another, fostering a deeper connection and understanding between them. As participants focus intently on their partner’s features, they develop a heightened sense of observation and appreciation for the unique details that make up their loved one’s appearance.

This activity not only serves as a fun and engaging way to spend time together but also helps to improve artistic skills and hand-eye coordination. By removing the ability to look at the paper, artists are forced to rely solely on their sense of touch and spatial awareness, resulting in often humorous and abstract representations that can lead to laughter and lighthearted moments between partners.

Moreover, this exercise can be a powerful tool for couples therapy or team-building workshops, as it requires vulnerability and openness from both participants.

Learn more about the benefits of art therapy for adults in relationships.

Benefits: Studies suggest that activities promoting focused attention on one’s partner can enhance relationship satisfaction and intimacy ⁸.

9. Collaborative Story Illustration

Time Required: 45-60 minutes

Materials Needed: Paper, pencils, colored pencils or markers

Write a short story together and then illustrate it. This activity combines verbal and visual creativity, strengthening communication skills and fostering collaboration. Begin by brainstorming ideas as a group, encouraging each person to contribute plot elements, characters, or settings. This process helps develop active listening skills and teaches compromise as you work towards a cohesive narrative. Once the story is outlined, take turns writing sections, allowing each participant to add their unique voice to the tale. This collaborative writing exercise enhances language skills, imagination, and the ability to build upon others’ ideas.

After completing the story, move on to the illustration phase. Discuss how to visually represent key scenes or characters from your narrative. This step promotes critical thinking as you decide which elements are most important to depict. Divide the illustration tasks based on individual strengths or interests, or work on a single large piece together.

Benefits: Research in the Journal of Creative Behavior indicates that collaborative storytelling can enhance problem-solving skills in couples ⁹.

10. Emotion Masks

Time Required: 60-90 minutes

Materials Needed: Paper mache or cardboard masks, paints, brushes, decorative materials

Create masks representing different emotions experienced in the relationship. This artistic exercise can be a profound way to explore and visualize the complex feelings that arise between partners. Begin by brainstorming a range of emotions, from joy and love to frustration and fear. Use various materials such as paper, clay, or even digital tools to craft masks that embody these emotions through color, shape, and texture. As you work, reflect on specific instances when you’ve felt these emotions in your relationship.

Once completed, take turns wearing the masks and discussing the emotions they represent. This process can lead to powerful discussions about vulnerability and understanding, as it allows partners to literally “put on” each other’s emotional experiences. It can help foster empathy and provide a safe space to address difficult feelings that might otherwise go unexpressed.

Furthermore, this activity can reveal patterns in the relationship, highlighting which emotions are most prevalent or which ones might need more attention.

For more art therapy ideas, explore our art therapy for addiction recovery resources.

Benefits: A study in the Arts in Psychotherapy journal found that mask-making can facilitate emotional expression and increase empathy between partners [^10].

Conclusion

These art therapy activities offer couples a unique way to explore their relationship, improve communication, and deepen their bond. By engaging in creative exercises together, partners can gain new insights and strengthen their connection.

For those interested in learning more about facilitating these activities, our Art Therapy Practitioner Training Course provides comprehensive instruction. Remember, the journey of relationship growth is ongoing, and art therapy can be a valuable tool along the way.

Explore More Art Therapy Exercises

• Art Therapy Exercises for Dementia
• Art Therapy for Veterans
• Art Therapy for Autism
• Art Therapy Exercises for Grief Recovery
• Art Therapy Activities for Teenagers
• Art Therapy for Seniors
• Art Therapy Exercises for Children

Footnotes

1. Snir, S., & Wiseman, H. (2016). Couples’ joint drawing patterns: Associations with couple attachment, intimacy, and satisfaction. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 51, 1-9. ↩
2. Hass-Cohen, N., & Carr, R. (2008). Art therapy and clinical neuroscience. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ↩
3. Kerr, C., & Hoshino, J. (2008). Family art therapy: Foundations of theory and practice. Routledge. ↩
4. Sholt, M., & Gavron, T. (2006). Therapeutic qualities of clay-work in art therapy and psychotherapy: A review. Art Therapy, 23(2), 66-72. ↩
5. Aune, K. S., & Wong, N. C. (2002). Antecedents and consequences of adult play in romantic relationships. Personal Relationships, 9(3), 279-286. ↩
6. Curry, N. A., & Kasser, T. (2005). Can coloring mandalas reduce anxiety? Art Therapy, 22(2), 81-85. ↩
7. Gottman, J. M., & Silver, N. (2015). The seven principles for making marriage work. Harmony. ↩
8. Aron, A., Norman, C. C., Aron, E. N., McKenna, C., & Heyman, R. E. (2000). Couples’ shared participation in novel and arousing activities and experienced relationship quality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(2), 273-284. ↩
9. Carson, D. ↩