The Colorful and Melodic Language of Emotions: Art Therapy from the Haydi Tut Elimi Club

The Haydi Tut Elimi Club, known at Üsküdar University for its social and individual awareness projects, held a meaningful workshop that enabled students to journey into their inner worlds. Held on November 24, 2025 at the Main Campus, the "Art Therapy" event presented participants with the transformative effect of art on mental health from a scientific and applied perspective.

The event, held at the D Block Meeting Hall of the Main Campus, was guided by experts in the field, Asst. Prof. Dr. Fatma Turan and Specialist Psychologist Şevin Çoğaç. Throughout the workshop, the focus was on the processes of recognizing, expressing and managing emotions through the tones of music and the language of colors. The experts emphasized that art is not only an aesthetic tool but also a means of emotional expression.

In the session, which proceeded in an interactive format, participating students put the emotions they felt while listening to different genres of music onto paper through painting. This process helped students give concrete form, through visual symbols, to complex emotions they found difficult to express verbally. Asst. Prof. Dr. Fatma Turan discussed the importance of art therapy in clinical and social settings and shared the positive effects of such practices on stress management.

Specialist Psychologist Şevin Çoğaç made individual assessments based on the work produced, explaining the connection between color choices and brushstrokes and our emotional state. Held with a small, boutique group of participants, the workshop provided a safe and peaceful environment in which each student could focus on their own emotional world. At the end of the event, participants said they felt calmer and more self-aware.

Officials of the Haydi Tut Elimi Club stated that workshops of this kind supporting students' psychosocial development will continue throughout the academic year. In line with Üsküdar University's "Human Values" vision, the event concluded as a productive gathering where art and psychology intertwined.