5 Ways to Use Art as a Decompression Tool (Even If You’re Not an Artist)
You don’t need to be “creative.”
You don’t need fancy supplies.
You don’t even need a plan.
You just need 5-10 quiet minutes, something to mark with, and a comfortable place to let your nervous system speak without words.
This is what I call decompression art, and it’s one of my favorite tools for managing autistic burnout (heck, plain old regular folk’s burnout), sensory overload, and emotional shutdown.
Here are five super simple ways to try it, whether you’re recovering from a meltdown or just need to ground yourself after a long day of masking. I often do these while sitting in front of the TV with my husband during our “quality time” together. I jest, but they truly work. No matter how overly simple they sound or how many times you’ve heard of them, if you haven’t tried, I encourage you to. What if one of these exercises is just the thing you needed to loosen those muscles, release that tension, and begin to lift the fog?
1. Scribble Dump
Best for: Overwhelm, restlessness, pent-up thoughts
Grab a pen or pencil. No structure. No goal.
Just fill a page with loops, slashes, spirals, or total chaos.
You’re not “drawing”, you’re releasing.
Think of it like shaking the dust out of your brain onto the page.
Do it for 2 minutes. You’ll be shocked what clears out.
2. Color Mapping
Best for: Emotional regulation when you can’t name your feelings
Pick 3–5 colors and assign each one a mood or body sensation.
(No one has to know what they are.)
Now fill the page however you want—patches, shapes, lines.
This isn’t about creating a masterpiece, it’s about externalizing what’s happening inside.
When you’re done, you’ve got a visual check-in you didn’t have to speak aloud.
3. Zentangle Squares
Best for: Mental spirals, post-meeting jitters, or grounding after socializing
Draw a little box. Fill it with a repeating shape—dots, waves, triangles, whatever.
Then do another. And another.
Let your brain slow down as your hand does the same thing, over and over.
This repetitive mark-making has been shown to calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety.
You can do this on a sticky note in under 5 minutes.
4. Symbol Journaling
Best for: Days when words are hard but feelings are loud
Draw three small boxes or circles:
One for how you feel now
One for what you need
One for how you want to feel
Fill them in with symbols—rain clouds, fire, tangled scribbles, stars, whatever.
You don’t have to explain anything. Just get it out.
This method is powerful for autistic folks with apraxia, alexithymia, or word retrieval issues.
Example in Action
Let’s say you’ve just had a meltdown. You’re shut down. Talking feels impossible. But your body is buzzing and your chest hurts.
You sit down and draw:
A jagged lightning bolt in the “NOW” box
A soft blanket icon in the “NEED” box
A sunrise in the “NEXT” box
That’s it! You’ve just created a micro map of your internal state, without writing a single sentence or explaining anything to anyone.
You can use it to:
Check in with yourself
Show a support person how you’re doing
Track patterns over time
Validate your own experience instead of gaslighting yourself
Bonus tip: Keep a stack of index cards or sticky notes on your desk. When you feel off but can’t talk about it, do a quick symbol check-in. Then go back and look at your week, you’ll start to see patterns.
5. Tear & Collage
Best for: Shutdowns, overstimulation, and “I feel nothing” days
Tear up scrap paper, junk mail, old magazines—whatever you’ve got.
Glue the pieces into a shape or let them be wild and uneven.
The sensory action of tearing and pasting is calming. The randomness removes pressure.
It’s a way to create without having to think.
Why This Works
Art bypasses the verbal brain.
It lets you express without performing.
And when done in small, safe bursts, it gives your body the co-regulation it’s craving—even when no one else is around.
You don’t have to be good at it.
You just have to let your body speak.
Want a Printable Version?
I've created a free worksheet called “Draw It Out: A No-Talking Needed Decompression Sheet”
It includes:
Quick-start art prompts for when you’re overloaded
Visual check-ins without words
A safe space to scribble, color, or decompress—at home or at work
Download it here → Draw It Out
Cover credit: Photo by Antoinette Plessis on Unsplash
