The Holding Frames

04/18/2026

Every frame someone paints at one of our gatherings gets delivered to another community going through their own hard thing.

That's the chain. Pain becomes purpose. And the person who painted it? They're no longer just carrying something — they're building something.

Share this post with someone who should know about The Holding Frames.

04/16/2026

Not everyone who lives through a crisis needs a diagnosis. But almost everyone needs a place to set down what they're carrying.

We meet people where they are — in community centers, break rooms, school hallways — not waiting rooms. No appointment. No label. Just space.

Know a community, school, or workplace that could use this? Tell us about them. Link in bio.

04/14/2026

When you choose a color, your brain is already healing.

Picking up a brush activates both hemispheres of the brain. Mixing paint engages your sensorimotor system. And making deliberate marks on something — anything — shifts your nervous system toward regulation.

Nobody tells you what color to pick. That's not an accident. Restoring choice is one of the most powerful things you can do for someone who's been through something hard.

04/11/2026

You don't have to be an artist. You just have to show up.

That's what we see every time — someone sits down, picks up a brush, and realizes nobody's grading them. There's no right way to do this. There's just showing up.

We're building a national volunteer network of people who want to hold space for their communities. No experience needed. Just care.

Join us: theholdingframes.org/volunteer

04/09/2026

60% of Americans say the arts helped them cope during times of mental or emotional distress.

We see that number become real in every community we visit — in school gyms, community centers, break rooms, and parking lots turned into gathering spaces.

When people sit down to paint a frame, something shifts. They don't have to explain what they're carrying. They just get to set it down for a while.

Source: Americans for the Arts, "Americans Speak Out About the Arts" (2023)

04/07/2026

75% of people who made art for 45 minutes showed lower stress hormones. No training required. No talent needed. Just paint, a brush, and space to breathe.

This is why we do what we do. Not because art is nice — because it's necessary.

When someone picks up a brush at one of our gatherings, their brain starts doing something remarkable: both hemispheres activate, the nervous system begins to regulate, and cortisol — the stress hormone — drops. It doesn't matter if you've never painted before. The research says it works for everyone.

Study: Kaimal et al., Drexel University (Art Therapy, 2016)

03/27/2026

We are so grateful to the for including The Holding Frames in their recent gathering honoring widows, widowers, and families of fallen first responders, military members, and medical personnel. This is exactly the kind of community we are honored to stand alongside. Thank you for the invitation and for the work you carry every day.

03/23/2026

03/18/2026

After a disaster or tragedy, people need each other before they need anything else.

Trauma-informed art gatherings create that space. People sit together, make something with their hands, and find out they are not carrying this alone. No therapy session. No pressure to talk. Just community doing what community does.

We wrote about what these gatherings actually are, why the science supports them, and how The Holding Frames has been doing this work across 280 communities globally.

Worth a read if you work in disaster recovery, mental health, education, or just want to understand what healing can look like at the community level.

Art-based healing initiatives are one of the most accessible ways to support communities after disaster and mass violence. Learn what meaningful support looks like and how to get involved through The Holding Frames.

03/16/2026

We’re set up and ready. 🎨

The Holding Frames is at the Missouri Behavioral Health Conference in Columbia, MO — and our booth is open starting tomorrow morning. Find us near the registration table and come say hello.

Art that holds space. Connection that heals.

Big thanks to the Missouri Behavioral Health Council for creating space for this community to gather. See you tomorrow. 🖼️

TheHoldingFrames.org