New evidence-based data will be continually added.
Arts’ value to health and wellness has been acknowledged for many years.
“Arts in health is an integral component to health and wellbeing.”
— NOAH: The National Organization for Arts in Health, 2024
“There definitely is an intersectionality as it relates to arts and mental health.
Some of the specific benefits that we have seen is that the arts can improve concentration. They can improve self-esteem. They can actually reduce stress. So there is a hormone that is secreted by the body known as cortisol whenever the body is under stress, and there have been plenty of studies to show that cortisol levels can be decreased when we engage in the arts and the positive impacts that it can have on our mental health.”
— From American Medical Association paper by Frank Clark, MD, psychiatrist, Prisma Health; poet, 2023
I have a special interest in working with those with Autism.
“For some, an adult autism diagnosis is an inflection point — the moment in which a clearer and more fulfilling existence starts anew. For others, it brings a blurred picture into focus. Whatever the perspective, an adult autism diagnosis is an identity builder, instantaneously minting new members of the growing autism community. This, in turn, can create a sense of belonging — a big deal for a community that continues to grapple with chronic loneliness.”
— For Adults, Autism Diagnosis Can Unlock a New Life by Matt Villano, CNN
“Getting involved with the arts can have powerful and lasting effects on health. It can help to protect against a range of mental health conditions, help manage mental ill-health and support recovery. The arts seem to have an important role to play – through offering help, promoting well-being and creating a space for social connection.”
— Mental Health Foundation, 2019
“The arts can benefit your mental health (no talent required). Drawing, music and writing can elevate your mood.”
— Cristina Caron for the New York Times, 2023