emotions are clues, not rules.
emotions are clues, not rules.
Labeling emotions as “good” and “bad” has devastated our collective mental health. These labels have gotten us to believe:
🚫 Something is wrong with us when we feel “bad” emotions
🚫 We need to use quick fixes and distractions to maintain feeling “good”
🚫 We have to look outside of ourselves to find answers
want to know the truth?
Emotions are just information.
Emotions can help us:
✅ Figure out what’s important to us
✅ Make decisions that help us feel fulfilled
✅ Treat ourselves and others with kindness
✅ Find the answers we’re searching for
Being able to use emotions as information starts with labeling the emotions we’re feeling.
If the only emotions you can label are mad, sad, and happy,
how do you learn how to label all of the others?
With Color Mending®
In Color Mending®,
you take how you feel and color it out onto paper,
using any color and shape you want.
Then you take the Color and Shapes Charts to help you decode what your coloring represents.
Colors = emotions
Shapes = what the emotion is about
We’ve spent 6 years developing these charts - using them with hundreds of people of all ages.
These charts will help you learn how to
Describe how you are feeling,
and will help you learn how
emotions feel in your body.
Each time you color, you'll gather clues to help you make decisions and take actions that align with your true needs, values, and highest potential.
What people are saying
—amber, Colorado
“Color Mending helps me release stuck emotions and move forward instead of staying trapped in my head - it's like meditation but way easier!”
—Sara, Colorado
“As a school counselor, having a tool to use when my students don’t want to talk is incredibly helpful. This tool has helped me build trust with my most reserved students.”
—Rachel, Minnesota
“I’ve been using Color Mending Therapy with my 3rd-grade students. They love coloring out emotions and having me interpret their colorings with them. It’s always spot on!”
—Robert, Florida
“Color Mending gave me and my 5-year-old son a super easy way to talk about big feelings. It's the first thing that's actually helped us understand each other better.”
—Andrea, Utah
“As an MSW, Color Mending Therapy has been instrumental in helping me confirm that what we’re doing in therapy is what my clients need most.”
Color Mending Therapy Steps
Choose heavy or light
After grabbing some paper and crayons, decide if you want to color out heavy (mad, sad, overwhelmed, etc) or light (happy, peaceful, confident, etc) emotions.
Color out the feelings
There is no wrong or right way to color - use whatever colors and shapes feel best to represent what you are feeling. Color until it feels complete.
interpret the coloring
Use the Color Chart to help you name the emotions you are feeling, and the Common Shapes Charts to uncover why you’re feeling those emotions.
Color Mending Therapy Is…
An approach that lets you express emotions without words
A safe way to explore all emotions without judgment
A detective kit for uncovering why you feel certain ways
A tool to understand what emotions are bringing to your attention
A practice to help you name and express emotions productively
Color Mending Therapy is not…
Only a tool for creative or artistic people
A way to diagnose or label mental health conditions
A complex art therapy technique. It is simple and accessible for all ages
A replacement for mental health services. It complements, not substitutes
An activity that is only useful for tough times or bad days
Color Mending Therapy was created for all abilities and ages!
Color mending in action
Parents use Color Mending with their children to help their child(ren) express difficult emotions through coloring, creating natural conversation starters that help strengthen their relationship.
Parents
Therapists
Therapists incorporate Color Mending as a non-verbal, adaptive strategy, helping clients learn how emotions feel in their bodies while providing insights that validate treatment focus areas.
Educators
Teachers use Color Mending as a classroom tool that helps students explore emotions without words, creating a safe space for emotional expression while building self-regulation skills.
get started
Start your
journey
FreE!
Begin your Color Mending practice with guided instruction (a short video) and downloading the essential Color Chart.
Chelsea will walk you through each step of the process, and how to interpret your first coloring.
Deepen Your Practice
$35
Take your Color Mending practice “that’s interesting” to “this changes everything” with our foundational course.
In 20-minutes, you’ll master how to read your colorings, making it easier to understand and express the emotions you feel in real time.
Get personal guidance
$125
Experience Color Mending one-on-one with Chelsea in a private session. These 45-minute, virtual sessions are perfect for all ages and experience levels.
Don’t see a time that works with your schedule? Email hello@colormending.com.
Follow @colormendingtherapy on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest techniques, tips, and offerings.