A heuristic study of the experience of eleven midlife, professional women who use the expressive arts and processes to reduce anxiety and stress

This heuristic research interviewed eleven, midlife professional women who use the expressive arts. The initial research question was whether the use of the expressive arts reduced anxiety and lessened stress. All eleven of the women interviewed agreed that it did, both in their personal and professional lives. However, other findings in the interviews emphasized the importance of negative or positive feedback in childhood and the impact on future involvement in the expressive arts. The women interviewed in this study had all compensated for any negative feedback by either moving to another modality of expressive art or, with familial and/or supportive relationships, transcended the negative influence. Additional discoveries included the engagement of the expressive arts in midlife as substantially contributing to self-growth opportunities and a positive outlook for the future. Also, it was discovered that when involvement in the expressive arts increased, anxiety tended to diminish to the extent that people were not really speaking about the anxiety, they were really speaking about the journey of self-growth. Expressive arts expertise used by the co-researchers with themselves and clients provided information on techniques to engage others in expressive activities. The process rather than the product was emphasized and multiple modalities, sequentially, were recommended as promoting more intensive insight and healing. This was but the first step in ascertaining a need and subsequent development of programs designed specifically for a broader population of midlife women in order to encourage self-growth and supportive relationships with other women.