Color plays an important role in our lives. The colors around us can influence our mood, behavior, and overall wellbeing. This is why color is often used strategically in therapy and counseling settings. Using color intentionally in a therapeutic environment can help promote relaxation, self-expression, and personal growth for clients.
How does color impact us?
Research has shown that color can have a profound effect on our emotions and physiology. The color red, for example, is arousing and can increase heart rate and respiration. Blue, on the other hand, is calming and associated with lower blood pressure. Green is balancing and improves concentration. Yellow boosts optimism and self-esteem. The effects of different colors stem from psychological associations as well as biological responses.
Here are some key ways that color can impact us:
- Influences emotions – Colors evoke different feelings and moods in people.
- Impacts cognition – Color can affect our mental clarity, productivity, and focus.
- Affects physiology – Certain colors have been shown to increase/decrease heart rate, blood pressure, and other bodily responses.
- Associated with behaviors – Colors can encourage or discourage certain behaviors and actions.
- Enhances experience – The ambience created with color can improve the overall environment.
- Conveys meaning – Color carries cultural meanings and personal symbolism.
Overall, research supports the idea that color can have a powerful subconscious effect on our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in a given space. Therapists can tap into these effects to enhance the therapeutic process.
Why use color in therapy?
There are many good reasons why a therapist may want to strategically incorporate color into their practice:
- Sets mood – Colors can be selected to create a calming, energizing, or balancing environment as desired.
- Lowers stress – Cooler, softer hues tend to decrease anxiety in clients.
- Enhances comfort – Environments with warm, welcoming colors help clients feel at ease.
- Encourages expression – Providing a range of color options can aid self-expression.
- Sparks creativity – Rich, vibrant colors often increase creative energy and flow.
- Reflects themes – Colors can reflect therapeutic themes (e.g. growth, change, balance).
- Personalization – Clients may connect to certain colors more than others.
- Variety – Alternating color schemes keeps the space fresh and engaging.
Using color with intention allows therapists to have more influence over both the aesthetic environment and the inner experience of clients during sessions. This can bolster the therapeutic process.
Color strategies for therapy
There are many ways therapists can effectively incorporate color into their counseling practice. Some of the most common and impactful strategies include:
Office décor
The colors used in wall paint, furnishings, decorations, and accents sets the overall aesthetic tone of the office. Cool, neutral wall colors like light blue, green, or gray are recommended as they are calming. Pops of color can be added through plants, throw pillows, artwork, and accessories. Warmer accent colors like yellow, orange, or red can liven up the space.
Furniture arrangement
Arranging seating in circular or semi-circular ways promotes openness and flow. Group chairs in bright, lively colors for children or more muted earth tones for adults. Position furniture near windows or naturescapes for increased relaxation. Use furniture shape/color to define different functional areas.
Lighting
Incorporating full spectrum lighting, lamps, natural light, and color filters helps manipulate both mood and ambience. Bright white light promotes clarity while softer lighting in yellows or oranges boosts comfort. Colored lamps or wall projections allow quick color changes.
Color stations
Offering defined color spaces allows clients to self-select the hues that appeal to them in the moment. Stations can include colored cushions/pillows, wall projections, light filters, and a range of art materials or fidget items.
Guided imagery
Imagery scripts focused on color visualization help clients relax and access buried emotions. Clients may imagine walking through rainbow doors, sinking into colored clouds, or exploring gemstone caves. The colors reflect how clients feel.
Creative materials
Art therapy uses color extensively through painting, drawing, sculpting, and other arts. Provide a wide spectrum of high-quality arts materials in all colors for free expression. Stock up on papers, markers, crayons, paints, modeling clay, and more.
Impressionistic questioning
Asking clients what color represents their mood, relationships, or goals gives insight through color symbolism. Alternatively, have clients pick colors they are drawn to and discuss why.
Reflection spaces
Small spaces with colored walls, lighting, and tactile objects provide areas for clients to self-reflect between sessions. These may include color-changing wall projections or bubble lamps.
Color assignments
Homework where clients surround themselves with specific colors, visualize colored scenarios, or record color-based data helps cement insights. This extends color therapy beyond sessions.
Using color to address client issues
Color-based interventions can help clients experiencing a wide range of specific challenges including:
| Client Issue | Color Strategies |
|---|---|
| Anxiety | Blue, violet, green |
| Depression | Yellow, orange, red |
| Anger issues | Blue, purple |
| Low self-esteem | Orange, pink, yellow |
| Lack of focus | Red, green |
| Relationship problems | Pink, green, blue |
| Spiritual issues | Purple, white, gold |
| Abuse recovery | White, pink, blue |
| Grief/loss | Blue, pink, purple |
| Life transitions | Orange, purple, green |
Tailoring color interventions to target symptoms provides concentrated benefits as part of a larger treatment plan.
Best practices for using color
To integrate color effectively, therapists should follow certain best practices including:
- Get client input to determine which colors they are drawn to and which they dislike.
- Layer colors and include accents rather than use single, dominant colors.
- Offer clients a way to control lighting/color in the space like dimmer switches.
- Avoid strongly typing colors to gender unless requested by a client.
- Be mindful that color meanings can vary between cultures.
- Change decor seasonally to maintain freshness.
- Evaluate the impact of color interventions by checking in with clients and assessing mood/behavior differences.
- Avoid relying too heavily on color theories and instead tune into clients’ unique responses.
Most importantly, therapists should remain flexible and give clients freedom in how and whether to engage with color during sessions. Color should enhance, not overpower, the therapeutic process.
Potential risks of color use
While strategic color use has many benefits, therapists should also be aware of a few potential downsides:
- Overstimulation – Too much color or overly bright/saturated hues can become visually and emotionally overstimulating.
- Misinterpretation – Colors may evoke reactions contrary to their intended effect based on a client’s personal associations.
- Reliance on stereotypes – Assigning gender, age, or cultural stereotypes to certain colors can be problematic.
- Uniformity – Imposing identical colors schemes on all clients disregards personal differences.
- Superficiality – Focusing extensively on color leaves less room for other therapeutic work.
- False claims – Color therapy should not be presented as diagnostic or curative on its own.
While rare in moderation, these risks remind therapists to use color carefully based on each client’s needs and sensitivities.
Evaluating color interventions
To judge whether color choices are aiding therapy, therapists should check in with clients and evaluate if:
- The client says colors improve their mood, comfort, or self-expression.
- Positive behaviors and emotions increase during or after color interventions.
- Physical signs of relaxation are present like slower breathing and lowered shoulders.
- Color activities are empowering self-reflection and processing.
- Color exploration is sparking new insights for the client.
- The client seems open and engaged with the color options provided.
Seeking this input directly from clients and observing their interactions with color provides the best measure of effectiveness. The goal is color that clients connect with and find useful.
Conclusion
Color is a potent yet often untapped resource in therapy settings. When used strategically, color choices in office design, counseling materials, and interventions can increase comfort, spark self-expression, boost moods, lower stress, and complement treatment themes. While improper or excessive use does pose some risks, conscientious color integration guided by client feedback can powerfully enhance the therapeutic alliance and process. Color provides an impactful medium for clients to access emotions and move toward healing and growth.
