Abstract
According to world-renowned arts-therapy pioneer, Shaun McNiff, PhD (and my mentor in the Expressive Therapies program at Lesley College), “…whenever illness is associated with loss of soul, the arts emerge spontaneously as remedies—soul medicine.” 1 I know firsthand the power of such soul medicine, for I have written many books in order to help heal myself. Artistic expression, as every artist knows, is more than a calling—it is a requirement and is necessary for those who possess such yearning. It is the remedy and a necessary foundation to help promote balance and beauty in one's life. The potent healing that art making can offer in all its forms includes a personal wisdom that the artist often realizes only after the making of their preferred art form. In addition, art making is an important part of self-care, especially for the physician, and is not regulated just for patients. Practices such as painting, storytelling, movement, music, and writing all offer us the opportunity to reconnect with Self in a sacred manner.
Studies have shown the efficacy of arts-based medicine, and although its use enjoyed a popularity in recent years, the use of art as medicine—soul medicine—has not received its full value and recognition. I believe that it's time that the power and potency of art as medicine is unleashed anew and garners the respect it deserves as an important aspect of healing. I know its power, not only for myself, as I had the opportunity to use arts-based medicine with cancer survivors to assess its efficacy and effect on quality of life. Using Joan of Arc as the perfect feminine icon of courage in tandem with expressive arts, narrative, meditation, and arts-based medicine research indicated that the arts can and did help improve quality of life for a small group of women, 2 and I am proud of that.
In this section, several artists explore the power of art making in medicine and also discuss some of the challenges that can often and tragically occur when arts-based methods are not recognized.