Coloring books, once considered a children's activity, surged in popularity among adults around 2015. Mental health professionals began recommending them to clients managing anxiety, depression, and trauma symptoms, and researchers started examining what was actually happening in the brain when adults sat down with colored pencils and intricate designs.
More than a decade later, the conversation has matured. Coloring isn't a cure for PTSD or trauma — and anyone claiming otherwise is overpromising. But for many people living with the lasting effects of traumatic experiences, coloring has become a meaningful supplementary practice. It's accessible, affordable, and grounded in real cognitive science.
This article summarizes what we currently understand about coloring as a tool for trauma-informed self-care: who tends to benefit, what types of designs work best, how to build a sustainable practice, and the limits of what at-home coloring can do.
What the Research Actually Says
The most cited study on coloring and anxiety comes from Curry and Kasser (2005), published in Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association. Their research found that participants who colored mandalas or geometric patterns for 20 minutes experienced significantly reduced anxiety compared to those who colored on a blank page or used the time for free drawing. 1 The structured, repetitive nature of the coloring appeared to be the active ingredient.
More recent work has built on this foundation. A 2017 study by Flett and colleagues, published in Creativity Research Journal, followed university students using coloring books over a week and found measurable decreases in depressive symptoms and anxiety scores. 2 Researchers attribute these effects to a combination of factors: the meditative focus required, the absence of a "right answer," the gentle engagement of fine motor skills, and the shift from rumination to present-moment attention.
For people specifically dealing with trauma responses, the proposed mechanism involves the amygdala — the brain region responsible for processing fear and threat detection. As outlined in research summarized by the National Center for PTSD, in post-traumatic stress the amygdala often becomes hyperactive, scanning relentlessly for danger and triggering stress responses to non-threatening stimuli. 3 Engaging in focused, repetitive activities like coloring appears to reduce amygdala activation, allowing the nervous system to settle into a calmer state.
This isn't unique to coloring. Knitting, gardening, and other repetitive manual tasks share similar mechanisms. Harvard Health describes how the relaxation response — the physiological opposite of the stress response — can be elicited through a variety of focused, repetitive practices. 4 What makes coloring particularly accessible is its low barrier to entry: no skill required, minimal equipment, and the option to do it almost anywhere.
Where Coloring Fits in Trauma-Informed Care
It's important to be clear about what coloring is and isn't.
Coloring is not a replacement for professional mental health treatment. Trauma, especially complex or chronic trauma, generally requires the support of qualified mental health professionals using evidence-based approaches such as cognitive processing therapy, EMDR, prolonged exposure therapy, or somatic experiencing. A coloring book on the nightstand cannot substitute for this work.
Coloring is, for many people, a useful complement to professional treatment. It can serve as a between-session grounding practice, a tool for managing acute moments of anxiety, a way to settle the nervous system before sleep, or simply a healthy way to spend the unstructured time that can otherwise become consumed by intrusive thoughts.
It also has a particular value for people who can't currently access formal therapy — whether because of cost, geographic limitations, waitlists, or readiness to begin treatment. For someone in this situation, an accessible mindfulness practice like coloring can offer real relief while they work toward professional support.
Trauma-informed practitioners also note that coloring's nonverbal nature is part of its appeal. As Bessel van der Kolk and others have written extensively in works such as The Body Keeps the Score, many trauma responses are stored in the body and difficult to access through talk-based approaches alone. 5 Activities that engage the hands and senses without requiring narrative can offer a gentler entry point into present-moment awareness.
What Types of Coloring Pages Work Best
Not all coloring is equally calming, and trauma-informed coloring practice benefits from some thoughtfulness about what you're working with.
Mandalas and geometric patterns have the strongest research support. The original Curry and Kasser study specifically tested mandala coloring against other formats and found it produced the greatest reduction in anxiety. Their symmetry and repetition appear to engage attention in a way that produces measurable calming effects, and the structured nature offers predictability — particularly grounding for someone whose nervous system is on high alert.
Repetitive nature scenes such as flowers, leaves, and gentle landscapes share many of the same benefits. The detail keeps attention engaged without being overwhelming.
Avoid potentially triggering imagery. This varies enormously by individual, but trauma-informed practitioners generally recommend avoiding graphic imagery, content that could echo specific traumatic experiences, or designs with sharp aggressive elements. 6 What's calming for one person may be activating for another, so personal awareness matters.
Consider page complexity. Highly intricate designs offer deep absorption but can be frustrating during periods of high distress. Simpler designs may be more accessible when you're already overwhelmed. Many people find it useful to keep both available.
How to Build a Practice
A coloring practice doesn't require elaborate setup, but a few simple choices can make it more effective.
Choose a regular time. Many people find coloring particularly helpful in the evening as a way to transition from the activity of the day toward rest. Others use it as a morning grounding practice or as a between-meeting reset.
Create a dedicated space if possible. Even a small corner with your supplies ready to go reduces the friction of starting. The fewer barriers between you and the practice, the more likely you'll actually do it.
Set a low bar. You don't need to finish a page in one sitting. Five minutes counts. The benefit comes from engaging with the practice, not from completing anything.
Notice what you notice. Coloring can sometimes bring up unexpected feelings, including grief, relief, or restlessness. This is normal. If a particular page or session feels activating rather than calming, it's okay to stop.
If you're working with a therapist, consider mentioning your coloring practice. They may have suggestions for integrating it with the work you're doing in session.
When to Seek Additional Support
Coloring is one tool among many, and it isn't sufficient on its own for active trauma symptoms. If you're experiencing any of the following, please reach out to a qualified mental health professional:
- Persistent intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares
- Significant difficulty functioning in daily life
- Thoughts of harming yourself or others
- Substance use as a way to cope
- Prolonged feelings of hopelessness or numbness
In the United States, you can reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. The SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) offers free, confidential, 24/7 referrals for mental health and substance use treatment. Outside the US, the International Association for Suicide Prevention maintains a directory of crisis resources.
If you've experienced trauma and are considering professional support, the Psychology Today therapist directory and the EMDR International Association directory are good starting points for finding trauma-informed practitioners.
Free Coloring Resources
If you're interested in trying coloring as a practice, our site offers a range of free printable pages designed with calming engagement in mind. All pages download as PDFs with no registration or email required.
- Mandala coloring pages — geometric and symmetrical designs with the strongest research support for anxiety reduction
- Adult coloring pages — intricate designs across various themes
- Nature and floral pages — gentle, organic patterns
If you're brand new to adult coloring and unsure what to buy, our practical guide to the best coloring books for beginners walks through what to look for and recommends a handful of well-regarded titles.
How This Conversation Started: A 2015 Story
The mainstream conversation about coloring as a trauma support tool gained significant momentum in 2015, in large part through the advocacy of people living with PTSD themselves. One of the early voices was Erin Maynard, then president of PTSD Survivors of America, who described keeping a coloring book and crayons on her nightstand as part of her pre-sleep routine following a traumatic car accident seven years earlier.
In an interview originally published in the Amherst Bee newspaper and later featured on this site, Maynard spoke about coloring's place in her own management of PTSD symptoms. 7 She emphasized that PTSD takes many forms beyond combat-related trauma — affecting accident survivors, domestic violence survivors, first responders, social workers, and many others who have experienced traumatic events.
"Coloring actually reduces the activity of the amygdala," Maynard explained at the time, "so that's part of the reason that it helps calm you down."
In August 2015, PTSD Survivors of America organized "Color Across America for PTSD Awareness," a nationwide event coinciding with National Coloring Book Day. Participants gathered in coffee shops and community spaces to color together, raising awareness about PTSD and demonstrating how something as simple as a coloring page could offer accessible support for people living with trauma symptoms.
What stood out from that early conversation was Maynard's framing of coloring as fundamentally social and accessible. "It's just a crayon," she said, "but it's kind of like a magic crayon" — particularly for people who are stressed, isolated, or unable to afford formal treatment.
The years since have brought more research, more nuance, and a more developed understanding of how coloring fits into trauma-informed care. But the basic insight from those early advocates has held up: a simple, repetitive, low-barrier creative practice can offer real support for people whose nervous systems need help finding calm.