Looking for stories on Creative Expression in a therapeutic environment

[DeeRussell]

I'm doing some research on creative expression in a therapeutic environment.

If anyone has personally experienced or observed other adults doing some form of creative expression while they were ill, I'd love to hear from you. Creative expression can be just about anything: painting, drawing, building models, needlepoint, clay projects, or writing a poem, just to name a few. Preferably experiences should be about the "average", usually healthy, adult person who becomes ill, has an injury, whether temporary or long-term. The experience can be while in the hospital or at home.

Experiences of healthcare workers who use/have used creative expression to relieve work-related or other types of stress, such as coping with loss, are also welcome.

If you have an experience to share, please send an email that briefly describes the experience to me at: [email protected]. I'll respond with a short survey, with questions about specific aspects of the experience. (I promise not to share your email address to anyone else.)

I hope you can participate! Thanks in advance. Dee Russell, MA

[fiestynurse]

DeeRussell - I belong to a Watercolor Society and paint to relieve stress and express my feelings. It is a form of meditation or prayer for me. I completely lose myself and forget about everything when I am painting. It was especially helpful after my mother died. My mother was an artist and I felt her presence while I painted out my grief. I really believe in the therapeutic effects of creative expression.

[DeeRussell]

Thank you so much for responding.

It sounds as though you found a wonderful way to cope with the loss of your Mother, which I know can be very difficult, no matter how young or old they, or we, are.

I, too, found the value in creative expression as a healing force after a single year in which I lost my younger sister, my mother, and my father to separate, unrelated illnesses, and I was in accident that broke my back. The surgeons did a wonderful job, and still, I needed the emotional outlet to fully heal.

I'll send you the short survey and will be very grateful if you'll take a couple of minutes to complete it and return to me.

Warm regards, Dee