Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • Surfing for a better life

    A program in Cape Town, South Africa is helping children learn life skills and provide mental health resources through 'surf therapy.' The program called Waves for Change starts each session with some grounding meditation and energizing chants in order to prepare the group before they venture out into the sea, which for some kids was a prior source of fear. For many kids, this has been a way to learn to communicate better and a chance to improve their self-esteem.

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  • Arizona behavioral health unit unveils murals to help mental health

    Flagstaff Medical Center has incorporated the arts into their behavioral health unit, where they treat people with depression, anxiety, and other issues—they hired local artists to paint murals on the walls. Staff at the center say that the art has had a positive effect on the patients and allows them to reflect on where they came from.

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  • A Second Life for Flowers

    Horticultural therapy – a mix of art therapy, wellness activity, and a way to reuse viable flowers – is gaining popularity amongst hospitals and nursing homes due to its nature-centric therapeutic benefits. Although medical research is limited, some studies have shown that it can have a positive impact on one's mood and participants have expressed sentiments such as, "It relaxes me. Just holding the flowers takes me away from my situation."

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  • A parent's place? Meet the women fighting for space at SA's rural hospitals

    In the rural Eastern Cape of South Africa, a hospital has transformed their model of care for children with cerebral palsy to better serve the entire family. Offering weeklong stays, the hospital offers physical therapy for the children and emotional and educational support to the mothers of the children. Although this kind of care comes at a financial cost for the hospital, the results have indicated positive outcomes for both the child and moms. Additionally, the hospital staff has also trained the moms to act as community workers, helping to better increase awareness and access to services.

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  • Healing arts: Recovering from sexual assault through creativity

    For those who have experienced sexual assault, art therapy is being used for recovery, empowerment, and self-expression. Two organizations, Art Against Assault and CounterAct, are striving to use an arts-based approach to survivors who want to express what happened and their feelings, but may feel like they can’t. While gaining traction, expert practitioners warn that not anyone can do this, that this approach must be facilitated by experts in art therapy to prevent further harm.

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  • Veterans with PTSD have found physical activity is an effective treatment

    To help veterans struggling to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder, the Phoenix VA Health Care System has started using sports and outdoor recreation as a means of therapy. Although it does not replace medications or act as a cure-all, this practice has been shown to reduce symptoms and can lead to a reduction in medications.

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  • The long walk back to yourself: How this hospital revolutionised rural rehabilitation

    At Madwaleni Hospital's rehabilitation ward in South Africa, medical professionals and physical therapists are using what is known as block therapy to better help individuals who are living with a disability. Rather than individuals visiting the hospital at frequent, regular intervals, the healthcare workers here to see the patients for one-week periods less frequently. This doesn't just cut down on barriers, such as the cost of care and lack of transportation, but has also been shown to help individuals better retain the rehabilitation lessons and recover faster.

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  • The Mitrovica Rock School: bridging the divide between Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo

    Music can bridge cultural divides. The Mitrovica Rock School in Mitroviva, Kosovo, encourages young musicians of Albanian and Serbian backgrounds to create music together. The culturally “mixed” bands play across Kosovo. The rock school was founded through a collaboration between Musicians Without Borders and Community Building Mitrovica after Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia.

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  • In northern Uganda, therapy dogs are helping the survivors of war cope with their trauma

    Animal-assisted therapy offers benefits to those suffering from trauma. In Uganda, the Comfort Dog Project pairs victims of the country's decades-long civil war with companion animals. The dogs help victims, many of whom suffered as child soldiers, cope with post-traumatic stress, stigma, and isolation. The Comfort Dog project trains the dogs and helps to educate the new owners about pet care.

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  • Art, theatre and clowns: creative cures for dementia

    Connecting with art enriches the lives of patients struggling with dementia and Alzheimers. Across Germany, several programs are using art to stimulate the minds of an aging population. At the Lehmbruck Museum in Duisburg, seniors meet to discuss art pieces that affect them. Elsewhere, in Bonn, the Demezionen theater ensemble performs for retirement homes. And even clowns can bring a positive atmosphere to seniors struggling with dementia!

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