Page 15 - ChildArt July-Sept 2017 Your Brain on Art

JULY – SEPT 2017 THE ARTS + MIND 13

Science of the arts

When most of us get sick, we go to the doctor and get The brain becomes
medicine. But what if pills and syrups couldn’t make intensely engaged
you better? Your doctor might prescribe something when creating art.
totally unexpected: art.

Doodle away –
it activates the
prefrontal lobe
and helps short-
For many military service members of the Creative Forces clinical sites, term memory.
coming home from overseas deploy- paints a vivid picture of the mask-
ments, the joyful reunions we see making process and how it unlocks Visual arts can lower
on the news are just the first step in traumatic experiences. Walker says amygdala activity
a very difficult journey of trying to mask making has been a particularly resulting in stress
adjust to life at home after experien- powerful therapy for post-traumatic reduction.
cing the traumas of war. Although stress disorder, helping service
they may look healthy on the outside, members turn their private night-
many service members come home mares and painful memories into Art activities can help
soothe your alert
with invisible wounds. something that can be shared and, system and enable
“Very often there are very small hopefully, released. One service the prefrontal cortex
tears in a brain that you can’t even member shares how he was finally to focus on thinking
see unless you have a magnified able to let go of trauma that he had and planning.
brain scan,” said Bill O’Brien, senior kept bottled up inside for 23 years.
adviser for innovation at the National Creative Forces is also turning The arts help the
Endowment for the Arts. “It makes it to technology to reach and appeal brain focus and
avoid distractions.
hard for them to remember things. to a broader audience, working with
They are fearful or angry for no reason, the University of Florida on a new
and it really impacts the family.” “telehealth” program that can bring
Creative Forces: NEA Military art and music therapy into homes
Healing Arts Network is a partnership through the power of technology.
of the National Endowment for the Building on an initial in-person
Arts, the Department of Defense and meeting, the telehealth program Read
the Department of Veterans Affairs will use specially designed tablet about it
that includes a creative arts therapist computers for virtual therapy sessions
as part of a team approach to helping designed to feel just like being in the Drawing is Thinking
heal service members and veterans room together. Creative Forces knows Milton Glazer
who are confronting the wounds of integrating technology is critical to its Secret Garden: An
war. Service members, most of who success in other ways, too. Inky Treasure Hunt
have been on multiple deployments “How a person pursues art in the and Coloring Book
Johanna Basford
overseas, take their daily dose of 21st Century is changing,” O’Brien
art therapy (writing, mask making, says. “Many service members are
music) right alongside other therapies interested in producing their own
like acupuncture and K-9 therapy. music, for example.”
The program is also offered to family Digital technology used for
members who are learning to deal photography, videos and music
with the effects of the injuries on recording provides Creative Forces Try this
themselves and their loved ones. a scalable way to bring the healing
A popular TED Talk with Melissa powers of the arts and creative Doodle while listening to music.
Walker, art therapist at the National expression to all service members,
Intrepid Center of Excellence, one veterans and families who need it. Create a mask of yourself.
Draw a self-portrait and describe
what you created to a friend.