Art for Your Sanity: How Art Journaling Can Help You Manage Chaos and Unleash Joy

by Susan Hensley

Art journal your way to joy and transform life’s chaos into creative play.When you were a child, there was no better feeling than picking up a crayon and letting your imagination run free. The joy, simplicity, and freedom of just creating was easy and honest.

As you became an adult, life became complicated and overwhelming. When navigating the tricky path of inevitable life changes—like job loss, relationships, infertility, grief, or uncertainty of the future—it can be a struggle to find that simple clarity again. How can you manage the chaos and find your authentic self again?

In Art for Your Sanity, Susan Hensley offers a powerful tool to help you deal with uncertainty and tap into your innate wisdom and art journaling. Through personal essays, practical tips, and engaging prompts, Susan shows how putting colors, shapes, and images on paper can be a profound path to self-discovery, emotional healing, and unleashing joy. An easy, inexpensive hobby requiring no artistic skill, art journaling gives you a safe space to explore your full range of emotions, get out of your overthinking left brain, and explore your intuitive, creative right brain.

Discover how your journal as a container for complex emotions and a mirror to reveal hidden thought patterns and beliefs.Cultivate mindfulness, self-compassion, and a healthy relationship with your inner critic.Find joy, play, and a reignited passion for life in the midst of great change.Use the brain science behind the benefits of art journaling, including its ability to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and enhance self-awareness.Use techniques to process difficult feelings, such as grief and trauma, which can’t be accessed verbally or consciously.
Packed with vibrant examples from Susan’s own art journals, Art for Your Sanity will help you reclaim the wisdom, wonder, and free spirit you had as a child—and show you how to infuse your life with more color, play, and joy, one journal page at a time.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, Journaling

95 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 18, 2024

About the author

Susan Hensley is a transformational coach, speaker, and author dedicated to helping people navigate life’s transitions with joy, creativity, and resilience. With decades of experience as a corporate executive and leadership coach, Susan has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that come with major life changes.

Drawing on her extensive background in HR, coaching, and journalism, Susan’s mission is to empower people to unlock their inner wisdom, creativity, and sense of play during times of uncertainty and change. Through workshops, speaking engagements, and one-on-one coaching, she guides clients to rediscover their authentic selves and infuse their lives with more color, meaning, and joy.

Susan’s diverse career path includes serving as a broadcast journalist and news anchor, as well as holding executive positions in the United States and Asia. She has coached employees at all levels, from entry level to C-suite, and has served as a business coach through Stanford University’s Seed Program. She holds a BS in communication/social science from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MS in journalism from Northwestern University.

A global adventurer at heart, Susan has lived in various cities across the United States, as well as in Hong Kong and London. She currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her family. When she’s not coaching or writing, you can find her planning her next travel adventure, having visited more than 90 countries to date.

To learn more about Susan’s work and support during life’s transitions, visit her website at https://susan-hensley.com or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Reviews

[Eva · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the message and intention of this book. For me the art included, pacing, and idea that anyone can be an artist and unleash their creativity was inspiring. However, I overall found it a bit lacking in substance. A quick read, but not my favorite.

I received an ARC from NetGalley.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful resource for learning how to do art journaling, filled with helpful tips, colorful examples from the author's own art journal, plus anecdotes from her own experiences. Loved it!

[Kamyl Palma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book felt like a warm hug. The moment I learned how to paint, I was feeling all the emotions, but I was mostly scared. I thought there was the right way to do art. This taught me the opposite.

There isn’t a right way to do art. Susan says ‘you do you’. Thank you! 💌

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest and fair review.

[Jess (Jessie’s World of Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy release day to this book!

Art for Your Sanity is a self-help book about art journaling. Throughout the book, the author details what art journaling did for her mental health and why she encourages more people to start doing it, too.
Personally, I'm not a big self-help book fan, and while I am an aspiring artist and designer, I'm not planning on starting an art journal. However, I still found this to be an interesting, inspiring, and quick read despite being in the self-help genre. I especially found the parts about what being creative does for you to be particularly fascinating. I also liked that the author didn't force the subject into a 200 page book but kept it short, enjoyable, and to the point. It was so short that I easily read it in one sitting.
I would say this book is perfect for people who want to discover a new relaxing hobby and become more creative. My personal rating is three and a half stars (rounded up to four).

***thank you NetGalley for this free arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Art for Your Sanity: How Art Journaling Can Help You Manage Chaos and Unleash Joy” by Susan Hensley is an inspirational guidebook that teaches you how the simple practice of art journaling can heal and transform your life. Susan begins by describing how therapeutic art journaling relates to her and how it helped her get through difficult times, especially during the pandemic. Art journaling helped her access the wisdom inside of herself, find stillness and clarity, and connect with her inner child. She became empowered by ditching perfectionism, people-pleasing, and overthinking. Art journaling is an inexpensive but valuable hobby that can help you explore your complex emotions and inner thought patterns, develop mindfulness and self-compassion, process difficult feelings, deal with major life changes, deal with uncertainty, and more.

One of my favorite parts of this book is where she begins by describing how adults get so lost in society’s expectations today of being busy and doing it all in a rush. Susan teaches us how to reconnect with our inner childhood wisdom, embrace curiosity, practice mindfulness, use our imagination, develop resilience, and, perhaps most of all, have fun.

What makes this book stand out from other artistic guides is its simplicity and openness. Each section and exercise in this book are straightforward, concise, and easy to implement. It is also very relatable; I’m sure everyone has, at one point in their lives, struggled with anxiety and self-doubt. She approaches the reader in a very warm and inviting tone, which we can all appreciate.

The visual appeal in this book highlights Susan’s bright personality, creativity, and ability to express herself. The images convey powerful emotions and showcase her self-discovery and inner child. I like how she stresses the fact that you do not need any artistic talent to practice art journaling; it is strictly about expressing yourself and finding peace and joy.

I highly recommend “Art for Your Sanity” by Susan Hensley to all people looking to discover their inner wisdom, embrace their creative side, and heal and transform their lives. I can say with confidence, as an artist and someone who has dealt with my own struggles in life, that this book has led me to further unleash my creativity, express myself, find stillness and joy, and develop self-compassion. What else can you ask for in life?

[J Kromrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Art for Your Sanity: How Art Journaling Can Help You Manage Chaos and Unleash Joy by Susan Hensley is a transformative guide that invites readers to explore the therapeutic power of art journaling. This book is a beacon for anyone seeking a creative outlet to navigate life’s challenges and rediscover joy.

Hensley, a transformational coach and seasoned author, combines her expertise with personal anecdotes to create a compelling narrative that is both informative and inspiring. The book is structured around practical tips, engaging prompts, and vibrant examples from Hensley’s own art journals, making it accessible to readers of all artistic abilities.

Hensley excels in the book's core strengths with its emphasis on the accessibility and simplicity of art journaling. Hensley reassures readers that no artistic skill is required to benefit from this practice. Instead, she focuses on the process of creation as a means to manage complex emotions, cultivate mindfulness, and foster self-compassion. This approach makes art journaling an inclusive and appealing activity for anyone, regardless of their background or experience.

The book delves into the science behind art journaling, explaining how engaging in creative activities can reduce stress, promote relaxation, and enhance self-awareness. Hensley provides a variety of techniques to help readers process difficult feelings, such as grief and trauma, which might be challenging to articulate verbally. This scientific grounding adds a layer of credibility and depth to the book, making it a guide but also a well-rounded resource for emotional healing.

Hensley’s writing is warm and encouraging, creating a safe space for readers to explore their inner worlds. The prompts and exercises are thoughtfully designed to guide readers through their creative journeys, helping them to unlock their innate wisdom and creativity. The book’s layout, with its colorful illustrations and clear instructions, further enhances the reading experience, making it both visually appealing and easy to follow.

Art for Your Sanity is a call to embrace creativity as a tool for personal growth and emotional resilience. 

[Ny Ny · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a world where adulthood often equates to complexity, this book serves as a beacon, guiding us back to the fundamental truths we often overlook: the joy of curiosity, the beauty in the ordinary, the resilience to rise again, and the value of authentic connections. It’s a call to harness the wisdom of our younger selves to reignite creativity, resilience, and wonder.

This book is not a manual to teach you exactly step by step how to produce a beautiful art journal in technical terms (such as media choices, color, creative concepts, layering, etc.). Rather, it showed you through art journaling, the process provides an exploration of self-discovery, an invitation to navigate emotional struggles and life’s setbacks by tuning into our inner voice. Through visual imagery, color doodling, and resonant words, we’re encouraged to express and understand our deepest thoughts.

The book lays out the basics of art journaling for beginners. Introduced the process the author used and the supplies needed to embark on this creative journey. For those unsure where to start, it offers prompts and ideas to spark creativity. It addresses common hesitations like “I’m not creative enough” with practical advice. She shared her own work in photos to complement on the specific application she was referring to in the different chapters. All through the book, there were beautiful quotes from a very diverse sources which resonated with her messages and inspired one to reflect.

I love that she shares her story of retiring and getting through the pandemic COVID, her experience of being bullied at work, how she found the connection between her physical body pain and her reflection on the journey, and how she faced the ups and downs with art journaling. She shares this process in place to connect her feelings and find the image to speak her words. In there, she gained valuable insights about herself and coming to accept who she is - this is beautiful.

Art journaling is a container of her emotions, a safe place for her to heal, a connection to her heart's desire, and a playground for her to grow. I feel inspired to continue my own journal of art journaling and find my own voice!

[Lauren Vandever · Rating 3 out of 5]

Need to get inspired to start your art journal again? Want to understand what art journaling is before you dive in?
Then check out this quick little book.

In this book, Hensley has created a beginners guide to inspire anyone to art journal. I have art journaled before, so I picked this book up to see how I could do it differently. The book wasn't quite what I expected as I planned to think about different art styles throughout and how to use those in an art journal. Instead, the book is more freeing than that. Hensely doesn't restrict you to different art forms. Instead, she discusses more about the way it doesn't matter what type of art journaling you are doing. Her only goal is to just get you try it. Through the inclusion of pieces from her own art journal, Hensley discusses how she chooses colors based on mood and how she will reflect back on the pieces she creates on times when she needs them. Basically, Hensely wants you to know that your art journal is just for you.

One critique I have would be that as the book went along, it did start to feel repetitive. After about the fourth chapter where Hensley discussed another time she used her art journal for reflective purposes, I definitely understood the gist. There could have been space for Hensley to infuse her message of self care through art journaling alongside maybe some coloring pages, more art journal prompt ideas, blank spaces for the reader to try, or more information about tools to use or even different artistic styles.

Overall, I would give this book a 3/5 stars because in the end the goal was accomplished and I'm about to head out and purchase magazines to start my art journal again.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art For Your Sanity by Susan Hensley is a wonderful resource for anyone looking to start an art journaling practice. Even if you feel you're not talented artistically, I believe you'll find encouragement in this quick and easy read.

This book offers simple and fun examples that take the pressure off the final product while focusing on the process itself and how you can work through emotions. Hensley shares journaling ideas and starting points that make the process feel accessible and not so overwhelming. She covers the emotional benefits of art journaling and explains how the creative process can address various emotional and mental health issues such as uncertainty, fear, anger, sadness, and anxiety. This book is an inspiring guide that makes art fun for anyone with the desire to give it a try, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in mixing creativity and play with their emotional healing practice.

Thank you to SH&H Publishing LLC and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Ana Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

While not exactly what I was expecting, it’s a lovely book.

I wanted a concise introduction book to art journaling and the science behind it as I like to hear the science concepts, so it’s not exactly what I was expecting and that cause it to be lower on my rating, but if you’re looking for an easy introductory book that gives you a base of how to integrate art journaling into your life, this might be the book to you.

The book is great at showing how art journaling can be super simple, non-expensive and easy/quick way to improve your life and help you push past your critic self. It was a quick read and it’s doesn’t gate-keep art. The writer makes it quite the emphasis that the point of art journaling is not the end product or improving your art skills but allow you the freedom and playfulness that will allow you to feel more free and in touch.

I will probably try to find a more detailed book on this topic in the future, but I don’t regret reading this book.

Thank you SH&H Publishing LLC for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.”

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a sweet, short, self-published book about art journaling. The author gives basic information with a lot of pictures of pages from her own books and some personal anecdotes. She seems enthusiastic and supportive, but I didn’t really get much from the book. I have done art journaling for many years and think the book would have benefited from photos of other people’s books and styles, ideas outside of crayon, basic painting and collage (there are so many – add pockets, stickers, cut-outs, found poems, batik resist effects with watercolor over white crayon or glue, cut windows, do free writing, glue in photos, add bullet journal pages and mood trackers…), and a little more substance.

I read a temporary digital copy of this book for review.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you've ever kept a journal of any kind, there isn't much to glean from this book. It quotes Brene Brown and many others, suggests making a collage with various magazines and advises working in your journal when life knocks you down. I felt like I'd read every bit of it many times before. This could have been much better if the author--who's a journalist--had interviewed lots of people about their personal struggles and how/why they journal. In the back, she could have listed pages of writing or drawing prompts. The bones were there, but it seemed more like and outline of a book instead of a flesh-out book. Also, the pictures of journaling were really lackluster.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 ~ ebook

I'm so grateful I read this book when I did. Overwhelmed by stress at work and with my kids, I had been using all the tools in my self-care toolkit. Adding art journaling has been a game changer for processing my emotions and escaping into flow. I highly recommend Art For Your Sanity for anyone going through a rough patch. It is a quick read with practical tips. I purchased a sketchbook and got started while I was in chapter 3. I was gifted an advanced copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ande Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Art for Your Sanity is a super short guide to beginning art journaling. I really liked how much the author emphasized play in her art journaling. I appreciated that she worked hard to take away the stress and judgements of it not being "good" enough.

This book is only 109 pages, but I don't see that as a bad thing. It gave you plenty to get started & since I was able to read it in one night, I am also able to start art journaling sooner.

Thanks to NetGalley, Susan Hensley, and SH&H Publishing for the chance to read and review!

[Marylou · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and learned something too. Hensley encourages us to let our four year old artist out to play. She suggests using children's art supplies to enhance this feeling. But collage, watercolor, crayons, paint - whatever you want to use is fine. The important thing is learning to express yourself.
I loved the examples she shared with us. And I loved that you don't have to be creating "art" to use an art journal. The book is short but packs a punch.
I received this book from NetGalley and SH&H Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I received no compensation for my review.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Art journaling has always fascinated me. I’ve always wanted to do it, but needed help getting started. I read a couple other books before, but they were too complicated. This book explained things well. It also had a few prompts and plenty of examples. I haven’t had a chance to sit down and art journal, but this book will definitely be helpful when I do. I got an advanced readers copy from NetGalley but my review is unbiased.

[Belle · Rating 1 out of 5]

What is this? I'm sorry, but I can't see how in good conscience this can be sold for actual money.

There's nothing in this book. Just a few photos of the author's own journal, and their own journey journalling.. nothing practical. That explains the extremely short length.

As others have already mentioned, this is more like a blog post. It should be free. My sanity is gone.

*Temporary e-copy received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very light simple read. For someone who has never journal or art journal it might be a good primer. For somebody who has some experience with both this seemed lacking in information and examples.

I am sure it would be a great book for someone who feels like they don’t have a creative bone in their body, but someone who has been creative their entire life. There was not much new information here for me.

[Amy (amysbooksnthings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

I really enjoyed this book on art journaling. I particularly liked how this was part how-to, part memoir - the author's anecdotes made it more personal and interesting. Though art journaling is pretty straightforward, it can still seem intimidating and this book made it very approachable. A great read for creatives and "non-creatives" alike.

[Melissa K · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came to me at the exact time that I needed it. I was curious about art journaling, but was making it way more complicated than it needed to be. I appreciate Susan’s openness and vulnerability, and that I felt like I had her support to also be open and vulnerable in both past emotions and in future hopes and dreams.

[Carla · Rating 2 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
I was honestly exp this book to be more of a how-to but it read more like the author's journal or several blog posts, with a bunch of quotes added, and made into a book.
It might be better for someone who is in a similar life stage as the author (recently retired, trying to figure out what that means in her life), but I was looking for more practical information about creating an art journal, or at least more inspirational images from her art journal.

[Heather Bresser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the encouragement to be a kid again and reach for the roots of being creative. Jumped into journaling again after so long.

I did receive an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Alisha Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book. It is kinda like a beginner's guide to art journaling. I liked that the author showed examples, including from her own journals. I liked that the book did not go on and on and that it is short, but I did think it was repetitive.

[Nikayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

As someone who loves art journaling I expected more, this book was not what I was expecting. It would have benefited from having some more tips and techniques along with additional photos.

ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for honest review

[Mag E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Art is individual. Yet, if we are making a living with it, it needs to connect with at least one other person. A difficult conundrum. Read this book to help me on my journey. It was helpful. (I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the giveaway ebook copy.

This was a quick and easy read that was illuminating on how art journaling can be used to gain insight in ourselves with tricks and research backing the main focus. Very nice read.

[RedReviews4You Susan-Dara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book to remind yourself why exploring your own creativity is so important. I loved that I connected me with simple, low stakes, and to be honest a way of understanding myself and my world a little more clearly.

[ChillCassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful resource! I loved the quotes and examples provided. Very inspiring! I recommend this to anyone interested in art journaling.

[Jerseygirl57 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great for refreshing my creativity!

[V Dowdy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art For Your Sanity immediately captured my attention as a potential book to read and review. Being an artist myself and for a very long time, I already knew of and practiced art journaling. I've reaped the benefits from various art therapies, coloring books, and creating abstract expressionism.

One of my favorite parts about this book is how the author emphasizes some science-based facts behind the benefits and use of creating with shapes, colors, textures, etc, but also, in the explanation of how anyone of any skill level can utilize this practice to work on themselves. Hensley shares so many good experiences and tips with the reader to help them begin their own art journaling journey. I myself, have learned a few new perspectives and thoughts that I will take with me from this book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily