What is the connection between artistic expression and health care? Artistic expression and human caring? There is a mountain of evidence linking artistic expression and play to numerous positive impacts for healing to include reduced stress, decreased pain perception, enhanced care team collaboration, increased self-esteem and motivation and increased resilience. Allowing a mind to participate in even a brief simple expression of creativity will inevitably connect the two hemispheres of the brain in ways that allow for the newly inspired and curious mind to make powerful, simple and effective shifts to maximize connections and influence health in new and fulfilling ways. Encouraging participation in artistic expression allows health care workers to see their patient more holistically and beyond the physical components of illness. Although significantly under-utilized, the application of artistic expression in health care is more familiar when applied to the patient experience, particularly in the pediatric settings. This application is sorely missing from adult focused areas of care even though the benefits to supporting creative expression within healing is not limited to children. Additionally, the employment of creative expression for the benefit and support of the health care worker is even more rare.
Medical and Nursing schools across the nation are now beginning to include mandatory curriculum connecting the creative arts with health care applications- both for the patient and family, but also for the health care provider or caregiver (joe-2207_0.pdf (ama-assn.org). Engagement in artistic expression can protect the care giver from overwhelm, compassion fatigue, and burnout and support more innovative problem solving. These expressions do not need to be esthetically pleasing or take a lot of time, focusing on artistic expression as a process rather than an outcome.
It may be just a quick pause to snap a picture of the way the light comes in through your window or taking a few minutes to move in private and without shame to music any way that your body wants to move. According to clinical psychologist Dr. Paula Redmond, "if you can do something creative every day, no matter how small, you will soon start to notice the benefits. Spending just 5 minutes a day is all you need" (How creativity can protect against burnout - Dr Paula Redmond, Clinical Psychologist) What can you do today to allow a little more creativity into your life?
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