As research grows, interest also continues to rise in psychedelic therapies as treatments for addiction and mental health conditions, including PTSD and depression. But how does the “set and setting” of a psychedelic experience affect the experience of patients receiving these treatments?  A scoping review published in 2022 from the International Arts + Mind Lab […]

Human faces don’t normally belong on clouds or slices of toast. Potatoes are not seals. And peppers don’t usually look like they need a little hug. But the human mind has a tendency to perceive something as significant or meaningful, even if what we actually see or hear is vague or ambiguous. And looking at […]

Despite recent controversies over which books should line the shelves of schools and libraries, there is little debate that literature expands the mind. But can the act of reading also improve our mental health and wellbeing? Researchers are investigating the impact of reading experiences and reporting evidence of promising mental and social health benefits. Whether […]

Artists across cultures and throughout history have long recognized what scientific research has only recently been able to confirm: The arts are essential to our ability to heal and thrive. The emerging field of neuroarts studies how the arts and aesthetic experiences change the brain, body, and behavior – and how this knowledge can be […]

As the writer Maya Angelou once said: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Previous research has found that reading and writing literature can help people express themselves and reduce the stigma and isolation surrounding sensitive subjects and experiences. A new study published in the Journal of Community Psychology from […]

Around this time last year, many parents, teachers, and students ventured into the great unknown—a year of remote or hybrid learning. We fretted about learning losses from the disruptive lockdowns of spring 2020 and the many challenges ahead for navigating virtual classrooms. This year, as the U.S. attempts a return to in-person instruction amidst a […]

How can music support mental health? While hundreds of studies have been conducted to answer this question, the availability and application of music interventions for mental health remain limited. Part of the challenge is the multidisciplinary nature of this research and difficulties in synthesizing findings across different fields including psychology, neurology, psychiatry, music, and public health. […]

The healing power of music for mental health has been formally studied across many professions – from psychology to music therapy to nursing – dating back to the 1940s. A recent global scoping review evaluated published research on music-related interventions for serious mental health issues and underscored the therapeutic potential of music to support mental […]

We are excited to announce the launch of the NeuroArts Blueprint, a global field-building initiative from the Aspen Institute’s Health, Medicine and Society Program and the International Arts + Mind Lab. The NeuroArts Blueprint will articulate and advance the scientific foundation and evidence for the role of arts in health and wellbeing through the lens […]

Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, a community planning expert and institute professor at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts and the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions at Arizona State University, shares her vision for integrating arts and culture into placemaking as a way to reckon with racial trauma and restore dignity […]