Art Healing in Nature: Yi Su Liao Xin Art Therapy
Art Healing in Nature: Yi Su Liao Xin Art Therapy is a non-profit art therapy organization founded at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou. As a co-founder, I, Yiting Guo, was the lead instructor and instructional designer, creating a comprehensive course experience for a series of psychological workshops to improve relationships between college students and their parents.
Role: Curriculum design, teaching, photography, media communication
Target Audience: College students who have questions or concerns about intimate relationships, particularly parent-child relationships.
Year:2023
Introduction
During my exchange at the China Academy of Art, I co-founded a student organization focused on art-based mental health support for college students. Our goal was to combine creative expression with psychological well-being. My main responsibility was designing and leading psychology-focused seminars.
While engaging with students, I noticed that many of them were facing unresolved issues in their relationships with their parents. With my academic background and personal interest in this area, I felt compelled to create a space for open exploration.
We often hear the phrase, “Parents are a child’s first and best educators.” Many parents attend seminars to improve their parenting strategies. But I believe the reverse can also be true—children can be powerful consultants for their parents.
Not only are children the direct recipients of educational methods, but they also deeply understand their parents’ behaviors and the emotional impact those behaviors have. Their lived experience gives them valuable insight into which educational approaches are truly effective and which are not.
This workshop was designed specifically for college students who want to reflect on and improve their parent-child relationships. Its core goal was to help young people navigate emotional challenges with clarity, empower them to express their needs, and reframe the dynamics within their families. The program is especially aimed at educating, engaging, and supporting Chinese university students in better understanding and managing the complexities of intimate family relationships.
Process
To promote the program, we used multiple strategies:
Social Media: We posted event announcements in existing art therapy WeChat groups and through our public account “Yisu Liaoxin.”
Direct Messaging: We sent targeted invitations to individuals and student groups through WeChat.
Partnerships: We collaborated with student clubs, campus counseling centers, and departments within the China Academy of Art to expand outreach.
Digital Posters: We shared visually engaging posters across online platforms.
Xiaohongshu: I launched a Xiaohongshu (RED) account where I regularly posted psychology-related content to attract new learners and build a community.
I’ve been studying the psychology of intimate relationships for several years, and my own family relationships—especially with my parents—have improved greatly as a result. I truly believe psychology has the power to transform lives.
The content of the course draws on several psychological frameworks, including Psychology of Vision, Adler’s The Courage to Be Disliked and The Courage to Be Happy, Taiwan’s Heart Sea, and Erich Fromm’s The Art of Loving. I synthesized and compared these theories to provide participants with a structured, accessible understanding of intimacy and relational psychology.
Course Format
The workshop was delivered in two phases:
Phase I: An in-person seminar designed for art students at the China Academy of Art.
Phase II: An online workshop open to college students from across China.
After Phase I, I received valuable feedback from students, particularly about common struggles they faced during summer breaks when returning home. Many asked questions about family tension and daily communication with parents. I incorporated these real-life scenarios and suggestions into the revised curriculum for Phase II.
Marketing Statement
Throughout our lives, we spend years learning math, science, and language—but we rarely learn how to deal with life itself.
As we transition from high school to university, our lives change dramatically. Our progress is no longer defined by grades alone. We face more freedom, more uncertainty, and more choices.
So how do we navigate all of this?
In the "Understanding Life Through Relationships" workshop, we start with the relationships around us to discover the rules of how we relate to the world. We move from psychological theory to practical action—so that what you learn can be applied in everyday life.