About | Benefits | Eligibility
About
What is Art for Healing?
This program allows patients to express themselves and process their hospital experience in a creative way. Creativity through art is a process that connects our inner selves with life’s experiences. It can be a soothing and stress-reducing way to promote wellness.
While working with an artist, patients visualize and create images that allow them to participate in their own healing. Creativity enhances the body's and mind’s ability to work with any form of medical treatment.
- Sessions are provided by the Volunteer Creativity Coaches
- Sessions are complimentary
- Patients: To request a session, notify your nurse or caregiver
What Our Patients are Saying
“I’ve never done art before. It was fun to do something creative and it was a pleasure for me to do it because I was feeling down and it really give me the courage to do it. I like it.”
“It was the most relaxing thing I’ve done to keep my mind off the things that weren’t forensic that went wrong during my time here. The ladies were wonderful.”
“Great diversion! A wonderful way to get creative, forget about your problems for a while and put some thought into making your worried loved ones at home feel better.”
“I am now sure that I have great hidden talent! What a great way to help your patients to relax and forget their own problems for a while. Keep the Art department going! It offers great benefits to your patients. Your volunteers are great!!”
“On the 2nd day of my being a patient 2 lovely ladies entered the room with a suitcase that was to reveal the gift of appreciation of art. We shared at time cutting out pictures from a lovely magazine. When completed they were hung on the wall (near the hospital bed) to enjoy. It was a lot better looking at lovely art instead of bare walls.”
Back to Top
Benefits
- Relaxation and stress reduction
- Use of the imagination to transform pain and tension
- Heightened sense of empowerment and well-being
- Better ability to process grief and trauma
- A focus to provide a sense of purpose and meaning documenting our experience
Back to Top
Eligibility
Who can participate?
The act of creating art facilitates the quieting of the mind and the slowing down of the body. Anyone who feels they might benefit is welcome. No artistic ability is necessary - just allow your imagination to be there!
Availability
The Integrative Medicine ART for Healing Program has recently expanded its reach to the Helen & Harry Gray Cancer in Avon while continuing to offer Expressive Art sessions to patients at Hartford Hospital.
The Avon Cancer Center is able to offer a space for private sessions as well as an area for group sessions and we are able to work with patients while they are undergoing chemotherapy treatments.
If you are interested in a healing art session during your hospital experience, please contact Integrative Medicine at 860.972.4444 or via email Therapies.Integrative@hhchealth.org.
Back to Top