Mental Health Break to Create: Telling Your Health Story
This workshop combines the principles of Narrative Medicine with creative visual art practices to help participants explore and tell their healthcare stories. Using guided art activities, close reading, and reflective writing, participants will discover new ways to express their experiences, strengthen self-advocacy skills, and become more active participants in their care.
Narrative Medicine is a clinical approach that integrates a patient's personal story into medical care. Developed by Dr. Rita Charon at Columbia University, it emphasizes the importance of recognizing and responding to the emotional, psychological, and social dimensions of illness alongside biological symptoms. By learning to identify and articulate their experiences, individuals can gain greater agency in their healthcare journeys and contribute to improved health outcomes. By the end of the workshop, participants will have learned practical Narrative Medicine techniques to continue their creative and reflective journey beyond the session.
Teaching Artist Bio:
Jesus Rivera is an artist, experienced biopharmaceutical professional, and graduate of Columbia University's Narrative Medicine program. Jesus brings more than 30 years of consulting experience in the pharmaceutical industry, having supported leading organizations including Bristol Myers Squibb, Amgen, and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. He is also the creator of Color Me Well, a specialized coloring and workbook series designed to help individuals cope with critical illnesses and health conditions through the power of art and storytelling. Developed with input from patients, healthcare practitioners, and therapeutic-area experts, the Color Me Well books aim to provide encouragement, hope, and opportunities for individuals facing serious illness to actively participate in their healthcare journeys and reclaim ownership of their stories.
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