Last week's class presentations were centered on the topic of Art and Healing, what it is and its history. Our speaker Holly Feen and Grace Serra both presented their own presentations based on their own specialties. Holly Feen is a licensed Art Therapist and she conveyed to us what the job duties and what she experienced on the field. An Art Therapist (as the name implies) is a person who uses the Arts (whatever form it may be-dance, photography, sketches, painting, etc.) to help a troubled person take the first steps to emotional recovery. Feen described the job as extremely rewarding as well as demanding, one must try to get the patient to push all matters aside and focus on the movements of one’s fingers as he/she creates art.
Grace Serra's presentation revolved around the same topic as Feen's but she gave us first hand examples of how Art has positively affected the patients in hospitals worldwide. Grace Serra has worked at Children's Hospital since the beginning of its art program (she helped set up the Art department there a few years ago) and she saw how the white and polished milky colored corridors only increased patient's agitation about their impending visits to the hospital. Since then, with her help, the hospital has completely changed for the better. I have been down there numerous times and can tell that it doesn't even feel like a hospital (until you see the doctors, of course) the atmosphere is lively and the vivid colors on the walls makes you feel like you are walking around an enormous playpen with children roaming around guided by chaperones. It is just wonderful!
Now I know that Art and Healing is a must when it comes to proper recuperation, and I'm a biology student!
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