Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Arts and Healing

 Arts and Healing by R. Rose Simon
 Seattle Examiner, Examiner.com
January 29, 2011
Artwork by JoAnne Dille


"The power of art as a healing force has been substantiated by scientific studies that focus on how art and music affect brain waves, the autonomic nervous system and the neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurophysiologists, scientists and medical professionals have researched the effects of the creative arts in healing. The results are coming back positive. Art and music can change a person’s perceptions, attitude, emotional state and pain perception. The creative act is a healing act in itself, regenerating the spirit and helping the body relax and restore itself properly. Hospitals all around the United States have instituted programs to bring the creative arts of music, art, drama, movement and journal writing to their patients. In addition to these programs, many hospitals sponsor displays of local artists in their facilities. The colorful display of artwork transforms what is traditionally considered a sterile environment and provides many positive effects. It helps to alleviate stress in patients and provide them a positive diversion from their illness, as well as promoting a sense of well-being and community. Art programs in hospitals bring the patient, family members, medical staff and the public together on a common level: sharing the appreciation of art. The artwork can serve as a catalyst to engage viewers into a dialogue with each other that otherwise might not have an opportunity to occur. Several Washington state hospitals have combined the creative arts with the medical arts with great success. Swedish Cancer Institute and Harborview Medical Center are two significant leaders in this field. Swedish Cancer Institute has integrated an extensive offering of complementary arts for their patients. Programs offered include: art, music and massage therapies along with meditation and naturopathic care. These services are offered with the goal of enhancing the quality of life for their patients and assisting with stress management. Harborview has been building an ongoing collection of visual art for more than eight years. This collection includes artists who reside in Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. Artists can contact the Harborview‘s Art Program Director for consideration of their artwork in the collection. In addition to the art collection, Harborview has an extensive offering of therapeutic arts projects, workshops and activities in collaboration with artists, therapists and clinical staff." Posted by Picasa
 January 29, 2011
 Artwork by JoAnne Dille

2 comments:

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  2. Hello,

    I'd like to contact you, but can't find any contact information. So I'll post it as a comment.

    My Mum suffered from a severe stroke 2 years ago, leaving her left (non dominant) side paralysed. She also has problems with her field of vision. Apart from that she is suffering a lot from boredom, as she used to like kniting and crafting, which is lost to her now. She also loves reading, but has trouble concentrating on an e-book or audio book.

    Therefore I would really like to give her something that she CAN do, something to put her mind at something pleasant. I thought, that painting might be something that she could enjoy, and that could help her find new hope.

    Now my question:
    I have difficulties, to imagine how the changed field of vision looks and feels to her, would that affect her abilities to paint? Do you, from your experience, think she could do that? I know, for you it's the dominant hand, but for her it isn't.

    I know, maybe I should ask herself, but it is to be a birthday present, so I don't want to spoil the surprise. And I really wouldn't want her to try and find she can't do it and be even more frustrated...

    Therefore: Sorry for bothering you with my worries, but I really do hope that you can give me some good advice.

    Cheers
    Ela

    ReplyDelete

Welcome to The Single Handed Life. A few rules:

(1) Be kind. Do no harm. This includes being critical of people, products, manufacturers and anything else that someone else may be getting benefit from.
(2) You can be anonymous, but just remember rule number (1).
(3) If you know good websites, please link them to your blog comments.
(4) If you know any good products, please tell us why they help and how to purchase them.
(5) If you know any good techniques, please tell us what your disability is, why this technique works for you, and outline the technique step by step.
Thank you for your input!