How Colors & Color Therapy Can Help You Heal

It is no secret that color can impact our moods very quickly. How many times have you had the urge to paint a room in your home? This is because you instinctively know that you need something new to impact you when you are coming home, or spending the day inside. You intuitively know that color impacts your feelings and emotions.

Color is not just a visual element, but it also has the power to evoke specific emotions and feelings within us. Each color possesses its own psychological properties that can affect our well-being and mood in various ways.

For example, warm colors like red, orange, and yellow are known to stimulate our senses and create a sense of energy and excitement. They can be great choices for spaces where you want to feel energized and lively, such as a workout room or a living room where you often entertain guests.

On the other hand, cool colors like blue, green, and purple are more calming and soothing. They can help create a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere, making them suitable for spaces like bedrooms or meditation rooms.

In addition to warm and cool colors, there are also neutral colors like white, gray, and beige. These colors are often associated with simplicity, elegance, and a sense of balance. They can be used as dominant colors in minimalistic designs or as a backdrop to highlight other elements in a room.

Understanding the impact of colors on our emotions can help us make intentional choices when it comes to designing our living spaces. Whether you want to create a cozy and comforting environment or a vibrant and energetic one, selecting the right colors can make a significant difference.

But what makes us have these strong, spontaneous reactions to our surroundings?

Your reactions and psychological responses could be due largely in part to the colors used in the décor and design of the space. You know how many of us refer to a hospital environment as ‘sterile’? Naturally, hospitals are kept very sanitary. But this reference is also likely due to the stark whiteness of the halls and hospital rooms. Not all psychologists agree, but many understand there is such a thing as color psychology.

Historically, different cultures have regarded color as having the power to affect your mood, feelings, health, and even your behavior.

So, if you want to change the mood you experience in your home, consider the following information. It might help you achieve the ambiance you’re seeking in your cherished and sacred spaces.

• If blue is your favorite color, you might not be too surprised to read that this particular color will aid healing and help manage pain. Blue can also promote feelings of tranquility.
• Because green brings thoughts of the outdoors and the wonders of nature, it’s believed to bring about feelings of serenity, restfulness, and perhaps even joy. Some find that the color green decreases stress and increases feelings of relaxation.
• Orange is said to promote healthy lungs and produce energy and vitality in people. Closely related to red, orange is considered a warm color that brings excitement. You know it’s true—when you walk into a room that’s painted orange, it definitely grabs your attention.
• The color of the sun produces feelings of warmth and brightness. Like orange, yellow cannot be ignored. It’s even been referred to as the most “visible” hue in the color spectrum. If you want to “cheer up” your kitchen, yellow might be the right choice for you.
• Full of drama and mystery, a room painted red is evocative of emotions such as comfort, intensity, warmth, and even love.
• Although you may not consider black a true color, it’s an important hue. The color black is formed due to a complete lack of light. In terms of your feelings, black can induce a gamut of strong emotions. You might experience sensuality, mourning, or sadness when you’re exposed to black.

In film, you’ll notice that black is often used to represent a deep, dark, ominous character.

Ultimately, black is not only a conflict in terms but brings about conflicting feelings for many as well.

• The antithesis to black, white evokes feelings of innocence. It’s customary to have a lot of white in hospitals – as I mention above – as the color has come to indicate sterility and cleanliness. Although white walls are often viewed as boring by some, the color is often used to trick the eye when walking into a room.

Want a room to appear bigger? Put some white paint on the walls. If you want a dark space to appear lighter, white is your solution. Using white as a trim color in a room will make your wall color “pop.”

Your feelings in a white room will run the gamut from feeling bright to being overwhelmed by the overload of light and space around you.

It may be bland on its own, but white can enhance the appearance of deeper colors and hues used with it. So, how you feel when you see white depends on how much white is used and the way the other colors in the room are presented.

Colors are powerful in that they do affect how you feel.

To lift your mood, bring about feelings of tranquility, or induce excitement, use these basics of color psychology to decorate your home. Encourage the mood and feelings you strive for just by skillfully selecting wall and accessory colors.

It is worth considering why we ask this – could it be that what color we associate with the most has some sort of effect on us, or says something about our personality?

Color therapy taps into the psychological effects of color.  Participants are exposed to a range of colors via food, massage oils, colored lights, crystals or stones, etc.  Some practitioners of color therapy use visualization techniques to help their patients. Different colors are said to affect different body systems or energies.  Patients who undergo color therapy do so in order to experience restoration and/or healing.

Harness the Power of Light and Color Therapy

If you’ve seen a rainbow, you have seen the colors present in light.  White light, or full-spectrum light, is made of all the colors of the rainbow, and when light is broken up by rain droplets, prisms, or other means, the colors become visible.

Light itself, and a lack of it, has been shown to have psychological effects. As one example, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is caused by the decreased light that comes with the change of seasons from summer to fall and winter.

People that find themselves affected by SAD have shown great improvement when exposed to special light boxes that emit full-spectrum light.  I used one of these myself while I was in college and experiencing SAD, and it worked like a charm.

If light can affect people’s moods, it stands to reason that the components of light, colors, would affect it as well.  After all, without light, there would be no life at all.

Open the Flow and Vibrancy of Energy

Colors have long been associated with various meanings and effects on our mind and body. In the realm of color therapy, it is believed that different colors possess unique vibrations that can impact our energy flow. This flow of energy, often referred to as the body’s life force, travels through channels and connects all our internal organs.

Colored light, in particular, is said to have a profound influence on this energy flow. Each color resonates at a specific frequency, which can interact with the body’s own vibrations. By utilizing color therapy techniques, practitioners aim to align these vibrations and stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities.

The central idea behind color therapy is to restore balance and harmony within the body’s systems. Just as a musical instrument needs its strings to be in tune to produce harmonious sounds, so too does the human body require its energy frequencies to be in alignment. By introducing specific colors into the environment or directly onto the body, practitioners believe they can help restore this harmony.

For instance, it is suggested that warm colors like red and orange can increase energy levels and stimulate circulation, while cool colors like blue and green may have a calming and soothing effect.

Yellow is often associated with boosting mental clarity and focus, while purple is thought to promote spiritual and emotional well-being.

Color therapy can be administered in various ways, such as through the use of colored lights, color visualization exercises, or even by wearing specific colored clothing.

Color therapy operates on the idea that colors possess vibrations that can influence the body’s energy flow. By harnessing the power of colored light and incorporating it into various techniques, practitioners aim to harmonize these vibrations and promote overall balance and well-being.

Achieve and Maintain Balance

In industrialized cultures, people have gradually become accustomed to spending a significant amount of time indoors, away from the natural world. There is a growing concern that this shift in lifestyle has led to an imbalance in our overall well-being. One aspect that has garnered attention is the lack of exposure to full-spectrum light, which is essential for our physical and emotional health.

It is believed that spending too much time inside can adversely affect our body’s natural rhythm and disrupt various physiological processes. The absence of ample natural light exposure can potentially lead to a range of issues, both physical and psychological.

Color therapy recognizes the influence of different colors present in light on our overall well-being. By incorporating all colors of the spectrum into our environment and daily lives, we can help restore the natural balance that may have been disrupted by our predominantly indoor existence.

Color therapy involves utilizing specific colors to stimulate different emotions, promote healing, and restore equilibrium within the body.

Each color is believed to possess unique qualities and effects on our mood, energy levels, and overall health. For example, warm colors like red and orange are associated with vitality, courage, and passion, while cool colors like blue and green are known to have a calming and soothing effect on the mind and body.

By consciously incorporating a diverse range of colors in our surroundings, such as through vibrant artwork, nature-inspired décor, and chromotherapy sessions, we can reintroduce the benefits of natural light and enhance our well-being. Color therapy can be practiced in various forms, including color meditation, color baths, color visualization, and even through the use of specialized color-light devices.

While color therapy is not a substitute for spending time in nature, it serves as a harmonious complement to our indoor-centric lifestyles. It helps reestablish a connection to the natural world and brings the healing essence of light back into our lives. By embracing the full spectrum of colors, we can strive for a more balanced and vibrant existence, even within the confines of our man-made environments.

So, whether it be adorning our living spaces with colorful accents or simply taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of a blooming flower, let us remember the significant impact that colors can have on our holistic well-being. By embracing color therapy, we can strive to strike a harmonious balance between our indoor routines and the restorative power of nature’s vibrant palette.

Color Therapy Can Be Used In Individual Treatments

While principles of color therapy are applied to each patient, treatment is influenced by what colors affect that particular person. Colors can have strong associations. For example, blue may be considered in color therapy to bring a cooling sense of calm, but if someone has frightening memories associated with blue – perhaps they were attacked or abused by someone wearing that color – then it would not have a positive effect. Perhaps that person would need some additional therapy and deeper work to build positive associations with blue.

It is important to recognize that the effect of color therapy can vary from person to person due to our individual experiences and perceptions. The associations we have with certain colors are shaped by our unique life experiences, emotions, and cultural backgrounds. While blue might evoke a sense of serenity and tranquility for many individuals, it can trigger fear and distress in others who have negative associations.

When working with patients who have traumatic experiences linked to specific colors, therapists often take a more comprehensive approach, combining color therapy with other therapeutic techniques.

For example, in the case of someone who has negative associations with the color blue, the therapist may incorporate cognitive-behavioral therapy to help identify and challenge the negative thought patterns or traumatic memories associated with that color. By gradually exposing the individual to the color blue in a controlled and supportive environment, they can work towards building new, positive associations.

It’s important to remember that color therapy is just one tool among many in the field of psychology and holistic healing. Each person’s journey is unique, and tailoring treatment to individual needs and preferences is crucial for achieving positive outcomes. Therapists trained in color therapy need to be sensitive to their patient’s unique experiences and adapt their approach accordingly.

While color therapy can be beneficial for many individuals, it’s essential to consider a person’s specific associations with colors and address any negative experiences or traumas that may hinder the therapeutic process. Through a holistic and personalized approach, individuals can work towards building positive associations with colors, facilitating healing and emotional well-being.

Treat the Physical and Emotional

Color therapy is not just for emotional healing.  Physical healing is part of such therapy too.  Yellow is used to relieve abdominal cramps, for example, and red, blue or orange lights are shown on the chest to treat asthma.  When I am having a particularly stressful day, I try to incorporate some calming blue into my day.

If you have studied energy work at all, you’ve probably heard a fair amount about chakra energy centers from yogis, healers and alternative health practitioners. We have the ultimate rainbow within us.  But how do you actually use this knowledge to access a dynamic, always-on flow of life energy to enhance your wellbeing, relationships, sex life, power, vitality and creativity?

Fortunately, there are very practical and simple ways to work with chakras, which allow you to tap into a vast field of energy whenever you need it.

Unfortunately, most of us have energetic blocks and imbalances as well as energy-sabotaging habits that prevent us from accessing our full vitality, which leads us to feel exhausted, scattered, dull – even ill.

Anodea Judith is the bestselling author of Wheel Of Life, and she offers a free online workshop to help optimize the colors of your chakra system: Supercharge Your Chakra Practice: How to Heal Your Energy Centers & Unleash the Full Power of Your Life Force.

There are so many ways color therapy can benefit our well being, our inner and outer worlds.

If you wish to experiment with the different ways you can utilize color therapy in your every day life, I would suggest starting with your wardrobe.  Play around with different colors, mixing and matching, and especially trying out colors that you may not have previously considered giving a chance.

Then, move on to playing with splashed of color in the different rooms of your home.  There are so many simple, effective, and unique ways to do this.  Try a different shade of curtains, and try throwing some colorful fabrics around different areas of any room that may feel stale to you, or need some rejuvenation.  Have fun with this – the possibilities are truly endless!