Theoretical Construction and Practical Mechanisms of Integrating University Aesthetic Education and Art Healing

Mental health issues among students are becoming more and more visible, and the traditional way of offering psychological support-mostly counseling and assessment-doesn't quite fit the educational setting anymore. Aesthetic education focuses on aesthetic appreciation and artistic literacy, while Art Healing uses creative expression to support emotional regulation and psychological integration. The two approaches have started to merge in places like universities and cultural institutions, but research on this integration is still pretty fragmented. There's not much theoretical grounding, the practical mechanisms remain vague, and the empirical evidence is scattered. This study draws on theories from aesthetic education, Art Healing and constructivist learning. Using a combination of literature integration and qualitative analysis, we looked at how this integration plays out across different contexts, both in China and internationally. Aesthetic education and Art Healing aren't just layered-they work together in a more dynamic way, driven by "creative expression - subjective construction - emotional regulation". This not only enhances aesthetic abilities, but also helps lower the stigma often tied to seeking psychological support. It points to a sustainable model for weaving aesthetic education and mental health work into something less clinical and more approachable.