News and pictures by Dr. Azizah Abdullah
SINTOK, 6 November 2025: Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) students explored creativity and emotional growth through the Art Therapy: Express Your Feelings Through Art workshop, held in conjunction with the Counselling Month Celebration (October 2025).
The programme was organised by the Economics Students Association (ECOSA), School of Economics, Finance & Banking (SEFB), in collaboration with the Subject Foundation of Guidance & Consultancy, School of Education (SoE). The session was facilitated by Dr. Azizah Abdullah, a distinguished art therapy expert and senior academic from the School of Education.
The workshop introduced students to art-based emotional expression, campus stress management techniques, and healthy coping strategies. Participants took part in guided drawing activities such as Colour Your Emotion, Study-Life Balance exploration, and My Balance & Strength, each designed to enhance self-awareness, emotional regulation, and personal resilience.
Students also learned about problem-focused and emotion-focused coping mechanisms, equipping them to identify stress triggers, seek support when needed, and adopt self-care strategies essential for maintaining a balanced university life.
Post-workshop feedback reflected a significant positive impact. Participants highly rated the session for enhancing their understanding of healthy coping strategies, improving their ability to express and reflect on emotions through art, and increasing their confidence in managing study-life balance. Many described the experience as calming, reflective, and empowering, noting that creative process helped them “pause, process emotions, and regain clarity.”
During the closing session, Dr. Azizah reminded participants that artistic expression can sometimes surface deeper, underlying emotions. She encouraged students who experienced emotional triggers during the workshop to reach out to the UUM Counselling Centre, where professional counsellors are ready to offer guidance and support.
The success of this workshop underscores UUM’s ongoing commitment to nurturing a compassionate campus environment that values mental resilience, emotional intelligence, and holistic well-being. Through such collaborative student-academic initiatives, UUM continues to champion positive mental health practices and ensure accessible support pathways for all students.
ECOSA Advisor, Dr. Aznita Samsi, praised the initiative and highlighted its broader developmental significance: “This programme is not only meaningful for mental well-being, but it also cultivates essential soft skills such as self-reflection, emotional intelligence, creative expression, communication, and resilience. Activities like this empower our students to grow holistically and become confident, balanced leaders of the future.”
