Many people will agree that creating art is good for the soul. But those involved in the field of art therapy will tell you that it is also good for your health.

Over the next three weeks, Jeanine Eckenrode will be exploring the ways in which people can improve their mental and physical health through art. She is leading a three-week series, “Exploring Art Through the Senses,” which will introduce participants to art therapy.

Eckenrode held a free informational workshop last weekend on the concept behind the series. But interested parties can still sign up by Saturday, when the series kicks off, Eckenrode said.

Art therapy is a field in the mental health profession that focuses on reducing stress, solving problems, managing behavior and coping with emotional trauma through the creation of art.

According to the American Art Therapy Association, the field integrates visual art with counseling and psychotherapy. Professional art therapists can be found in hospitals, schools and private clinics, among other settings, Eckenrode said.

“There is a big scope of where art therapy can be used,” said Eckenrode, who earned a master's degree in art therapy in 2004 and works for Cayuga Community College's student development services. “But in general, it is used to help people communicate in a different way.”

Eckenrode's series will explore the benefits of art by focusing on three human senses: sight, touch and intuition. Each week, participants will work on projects and exercises that revolve around each sense.

The goal, Eckenrode said, will be to communicate stresses and reflect on feelings in other ways than words.

“My belief is that, sometimes it is hard to come up with the right words for a (situation), and sometimes different words are interpreted differently by different people,” Eckenrode said. “But (art therapy) keeps your hands busy and gets some of the physical energy out. But it also provides an end product you can look at and think about.”

At Saturday's introductory session, attendees worked on two projects. One was a worry doll. According to a Guatemalan legend, you can make a doll on which a person can put his or her worries and place it under the pillow at night. As you dream, the doll carries your worries away.

The other project was a “self box,” which is decorated differently on the outside than the inside to reflect the differences between a person's outward and inward appearances.

While the concepts and projects used by art therapists can seem simple, it is not always easy for them to be effective, Eckenrode said.

“A lot of people's first reactions are 'I'm not at artist, I can't do that,' ” she said. “I think art is seen as a talent so much in traditional society. If people haven't heard about (art therapy), they can be a little bit reluctant.”

Eckenrode became interested in the field after she studied psychology in college. She said she has always been passionate about art, and the field allows for a “comfortable gray area” that blends the two disciplines.

“People don't have to be artists to appreciate this field,” Eckenrode said. “It is just a different way to look at and use art.”

Staff wrier Christopher Caskey can be reached at christopher.caskey@lee.net or 253-5311 ext. 282

If you go

What: “Exploring Art Through the Senses”

When: 10 a.m. to noon over the next three

Saturdays, April 19, 26 and May 3

Where: The Center, 1 Hoffman St., Auburn

Cost: $70 for all three sessions; includes all materials

To register: Call 704-0319 or e-mail mah@thecenter4wellness.com