Health

Art for the Health of It

Posted at August 18, 2006 11:46

By Diana Lambdin Meyer

    Why does a blue sky lift our spirits? Shifra Stein, a Kansas City artist, writer, and workshop instructor, thinks it’s the color.
    “It’s calming and promotes physical and mental relaxation, stimulates healing and creativity, relieves pain, and lowers blood pressure,” Stein says.
    After recovering from a debilitating depressive illness in 1996 that left her unable to write, read, or concentrate, Stein attended an art therapy class where she tentatively picked up a brush and found she could create art. In the process, she found her lifeline back into the world.
    Today, she teaches an art workshop at health centers around the country, reaching those struggling with the emotional aspects of major medical crises. One organization she teaches for is Eastern Jackson County Cancer Action, a nonprofit that provides support and services to people and their families facing cancer.
    “We’ve seen our clients leave Shifra’s workshops with such a sense of empowerment in facing their illness,” says Executive Director Karla Nichols.
    For more information visit www.artforhealth.us.<br style= “font-style: italic;”>

February 2006

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