Reading Hospital Internal Medicine - Paint Nite(s) February 2023
The Internal Medicine Residency Program at Reading Hospital held two Paint Nite events as a form of art therapy. Art therapy is a psychotherapy that involves various forms of art making to promote self-expression, exploration, and healing. Over 2 different sessions, we had approximately 30 participants create their own art work.....
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Residents and participants understood that the goal of our art therapy project was to express themselves through art, and to use the creative process as a means of exploring their emotions, thoughts, and experiences. Our very own spiritual services director served as our art therapist guiding us through the process of creating art, and helping us interpret the meaning of our art, facilitating discussions around the emotions and insights that we learned during the project. Residents were able to reflect on the meaning of what they painted, how it made them feel, and draw parallels between medicine and art. For example, difficulty in knowing when your painting is complete is like difficulty in achieving a therapeutic end point when treating patients. The project provided tangible strategies, using art as a creative outlet to process the chaos of a busy day, week, and life in residency.
Our wellness event was truly a success and having two separate events encouraged attendance. Our second event had more attendees than the first one, just by word of mouth after the first session. Our suggestions to other institutions would be to offer multiple days where residents can accommodate a wellness event into their schedule.
When we feel stressed, we often feel overwhelmed and easily irritable. Our project gave us a unique opportunity to explore our inner world, build self-awareness, and work towards personal growth and healing through the creative process. I intend to reintroduce art as a form of expression, whether it is through painting, collaging, or even decorating our resident lounge. This allows for you to pause and detach from devices and enjoy the moment.
Results/Outcome Survey 1. What was the general understanding of the purpose of the project/program by participants?
Pending
2. During the project/program, what tangible tools or strategies were demonstrated or taught (i.e, coping skills for wellness and life balance)
Pending
3. What word(s) best describes how you feel when you are experiencing stress or well-being imbalance?
Pending
4. What suggestions do you have to increase the probability of success for the project/program for other institutions?
Pending
5. What do you intend to do, upon returning to work, that you learned and practiced during the activity, that will improve your response to stressful situations?
Pending
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