IAM Lab News and Stories PTSD and the Arts: A Path to Healing Our Healers More than two months into the pandemic, experts are raising concerns over the long-term mental health implications for healthcare and other frontline workers. Behind the hospital ward weddings, standing ovations and donated meals, there are thousands of doctors, nurses and paramedics who are exhausted, anxious and traumatized by their experiences caring for those with COVID-19. […] Read More Why a Dose of Nature Is Essential to Your Mental Health When was the last time you went out and soaked up some nature? Even in pre-pandemic times, most American adults spent 93% of their time indoors. Now, with social distancing requirements in place, the time we spend at home and inside has only increased. But during this stressful time, our connection to nature is more […] Read More 5 Weekend Art Activities to Bust Quarantine Fatigue Lockdowns are easing in some areas of the world, but large public gatherings and trips to a museum, library or concert are mostly off-limits. Still, you can get your daily dose of art and culture at home with these new offerings. Give one a try—your brain will thank you for it! 1. Reading: Enjoy these […] Read More Can the Arts Help Us Heal Our Grief? While the COVID-19 pandemic has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide, there is no running tally of the millions left behind to grieve for their loved ones. The weight and scale of this kind of loss in such a short period of time is difficult to fathom, but palpable. The world is collectively […] Read More Worried About Closed Schools and Learning Loss? The Arts Can Help Typically at this time of year, we start to hear and read news stories about the dreaded “summer brain drain” or “summer slide” for students. What exactly is sliding and where does it happen? Studies show that most students lose skills in math without practice over the summer—up to 3 months of what they learned […] Read More Arts for Health Equity and Social Justice Archives The arts are a powerful way of responding to and addressing inequity and injustice. As part of IAM Lab’s series exploring Arts for Health Equity and Social Justice, we are sharing art here —songs, signs, dancing, murals, poetry and more—and urging readers to join us in spending time with it, learning from it and taking […] Read More How Art Brings Humanity and Healing to the Patient’s Bedside Healthcare professionals are under extreme pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is putting their medical training and resourcefulness to the test daily. Many are going above and beyond the call of duty by turning to the arts to comfort and heal patients. As a clapback to the virus, singing and dancing have erupted spontaneously […] Read More Why Is Everyone Baking and Gardening Under Lockdown? It’s not just out of boredom. In the midst of the pandemic, many have found themselves gravitating to their kitchens, gardens or knitting needles. In fact, so many people have started #quarantinebaking that there are reported shortages of essential ingredients like yeast and flour around the U.S. But given the stress and uncertainty our society […] Read More Feeling Frazzled Working from Home? These Design Tweaks Can Help Your Brain Remember when working from home was a big perk? In search of a more balanced life, the number of people working from home has been steadily rising for decades. Some people have even agreed to accept less pay in return for the added benefits of remote working, like a break from the grueling commute, a […] Read More How Giving Back Artfully Can Give Your Teen a Boost The teen years. They’re a rollercoaster of changes that come fast and furious as the brain and body struggles to adapt to a new world order. Sound familiar? Even for adults, the pandemic can feel like an unwelcome callback to our adolescence. Parents often gripe about their teenager’s mood swings and sometimes questionable judgment, chalking […] Read More ← Back More → Join the neuroaesthetics conversation. Subscribe here.
