The intersection of art and health: How art can help promote well-being

This article explains how different methods of art are used in therapy and other healthcare settings. There are two main approaches discussed, including Arts in Health and Creative art therapies.

Two approaches commonly used in healthcare settings include: Arts in health, which can include artists trained to help patients have positive creative experiences in a healthcare setting. It also can refer to art in the physical spaces where healthcare is delivered — think hospitals, care facilities, etc. This might include art on the wall, musical performances in the lobby and healing gardens. Creative arts therapies, which include a licensed professional engaging a patient in arts to address a specific condition or health goal. Therapy can be delivered through visual art, dance, music, poetry or drama and there are corresponding licenses for each type of art specialization (Mayo Clinic Press Editors, 2023).

The most common types of creative arts therapy are music, dance, writing, storytelling, collage-making, and painting (Mayo Clinic Press Editors, 2023). One main focus of the article is about how creative arts therapy is found beneficial for children.

Although creative arts therapy is used with people of all ages, it can have some unique benefits for kids. The American Art Therapy Association shares that art therapy can help kids express themselves and share their feelings without using words, which can be especially helpful when working with younger or nonverbal children. Specifically, it can assist with communication in children with autism, soothe kids with cancer and help improve focus in kids with attention-deficit disorders.

Creative arts therapy works as it can help increase serotonin levels, blood flow to parts of the brain, and promotes imagination and new ways of thinking (Mayo clinic Press Editors, 2023). It’s found to improve mental health as a way of expression and creates emotional resilience and overall better quality or life/wellbeing.

This article made me think about how healthcare can extend beyond traditional medical treatment. I found the use of creative arts therapy especially interesting because it provides people with another way to communicate and process their emotions, particularly children who may have difficulty expressing themselves through words. This connects to my interest in designing for children and people with disabilities because not every person communicates or interacts with healthcare in the same way. It made me consider how products or healthcare environments could incorporate creative activities as a way to make care more comfortable, engaging, and accessible. Rather than designing only for the medical needs of a patient, there is an opportunity to consider their emotional and personal needs as well.

Reference

Mayo Clinic Press Editors. (2023, October 16). The intersection of art and health: How art can help promote well-being. Mayo Clinic Press. https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/living-well/the-intersection-of-art-and-health-how-art-can-help-promote-well-being/