Illness, emotions, art and therapy – is there a connection between them? Is there a significant bond between
nursing and art therapy and if there is one, how can we put it in practice?
The belief that the mind plays an important role in physical illness goes back to the earliest days of medicine.
New molecular and pharmacological tools have made it possible to identify the network that exists between the
immune system and the brain, and allows the two system to signal each other continuously and rapidly. Disruption
of this communication in any way exacerbates the diseases that the immune system guards against. It
is getting clear now for scientists how signals from the immune system can affect the brain and the emotional
and physical responses it controls: the molecular basis of feeling sick. In all this, the boundaries between mind
and body are beginning to blur.
The significance of these findings seems promising to extend the range of therapeutic treatments available for
various disorders.
Nursing, as identified with keeping care for the patients during the process of healing, is facing the challenge
to create and maintain a relationship with the patients. And this unity between nurses and patients should be
built on the base of commitment, compassion, good will and empathy. The art of nursing is the heart of caring.
It is obvious in recent years, that there are great benefits in asking patients to connect themselves in any kind of
art therapy. Artistic expression is an activity that involves the brain in ways that can be used to enhance therapeutic
treatment and evaluation.
This article is showing that there is a bond between illness and emotions, and that art therapeutic methods can
be used in nursing, in order to achieve better results in the process of healing.
Using art therapeutic methods in nursing practice gives a way to improve the well-being of the patients, to create
a relationship filled with empathy, courage and compassion.
Effects of Group Art Therapy using Mandalas on the Brain Quotients of Elementary School Students