HHArt of Medicine – Art Observation Workshops
HHart of Medicine (HHArt) is a trauma-informed immersive art experience for staff to connect through group discussions and art creation. The program, led by museum professionals and licensed creative arts therapists, offers staff time to engage with works of art on view in their facilities from Arts in Medicine’s collection.
This evidenced-based program brings together clinical and non-clinical teams to learn from one another’s shared experiences and foster empathy. The program’s intimate nature provides a safe and caring environment for participants to be vulnerable and an opportunity for bonding between co-workers.
Arts in Medicine partners with the Brooklyn Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art to deliver HHArt of Medicine across NYC Health + Hospitals.
This is a great team building activity to bring everyone together into a different space than what’s our norm. It tests people that are a little more introverted to talk about their feelings, interpret the artwork, and do these activities.Dr. Natasha Suleman
Chief of Palliative Care Service and Hospice,
NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln
Greater connection to colleagues
Decrease in stress
Increased emotional energy for patients
Greater connection to the meaning
More valued as a staff member
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In the 1980’s medical schools began to recognize the important role the arts and humanities played in their educational offerings and began to incorporate them into medical school curriculum. Art observation was developed in medical teachings in the 1990’s at Yale University, to promote individual reflection, foster empathy and increase awareness for the psychosocial context of patient and caregiver experience. The Arts in Medicine department at NYC Health + Hospitals has iterated this into an evidenced based program that brings together clinical and non-clinical teams. In the sessions the participants learn from one another’s shared experiences, gain comfort and increase their tolerance for ambiguity. This program aligns with our Helping Healers Heal program that supports frontline staff members in coping with traumatic experiences at NYC Health + Hospitals and deepens our understanding of one another and enhances connection.
HHArt of Medicine, currently partners with the Brooklyn Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art to coordinate sessions utilizing pieces from the NYC Health + Hospitals collection often with artists found in both collections. Each museum partner brings an educator and a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist that works closely with our Wellness Directors to create a safe environment for staff to reflect on their experiences through artwork-led discussions, artmaking and reflective writing.
