Take a minute and look around (or at least visualize) your office. Come on . . . give it a try.
When I look around mine, I see a space painted in calming colors, with comfy chairs and a few tasteful Zen-inspired decorations. My credentials, there to inspire trust in my abilities, are hanging on the wall and soft, relaxing music is sometimes playing in the background.
I imagine that many of you have similar surroundings. Now think about the last hospital that you were in. Was it a similar environment?
When you think about your hospital, do you even see the background of the rooms, or does the medical equipment jump out at you instead?
Esther Sternberg, MD, a neuroimmunologist, medical researcher, and expert in the healing qualities of space has many thought-provoking insights on this issue.
The idea that hospitals can be, not just treatment space but healing space, is something that we as practitioners need to take seriously.
To learn more about mind and body medicine, check out our courses.
What are your own personal insights into the idea of healing spaces? Please leave a comment below.
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This is an amazing web site. I like it. I had been curious about if anyone have learned about Punch TV Studios? Furthermore this is an amazing corporation creating new opportunities in the media business. They have actually recently released that they will be funding movies up to one hundred thousands dollars. I was contemplating that when they did that, they’re going to need a lot music and sound effects for their films. I think the folks here may desire to try it out.
Once again, it would be most appreciated if mention were made of Dance Therapy and the other Creative Arts Therapies as specific professions/disciplines in their own right. Arts may be used therapeutically by artists and by mental health practitioners, but there is so much more to be understood.
My husband and I put a mroutoriam on malls between November 15 and January 15. Any store we enter during that time has to be reachable by not entering a mall meets one or more of these criteria: is eco/green, supports local producers and craftspeople, we know the owners or people behind the counter is unlikely to have Little Drummer Boy playing in the backgroundWe take our motto from the World War II poster: Is this trip really necessary?
Hi friend,
It does my heart good to see such wonderful content being written about the field of wellness and fitness.
Keep up the wonderful work.
I try to stay out of the malls, too. Just trying to find a paikrng spot is stressful. I love the idea of knitting chemo caps. I used to knit to relax, but now I have a really naughty kitty and knitting is impossible at home. I watch a lot of silly Christmas movies during the holidays but only after I record them so I can skip through all the annoying Christmas ads.
Unfortunately I missed the call, but wanted to speak of a wonderful healing space in Anchorage. The Alaska Native Medical Center is a beautiful facility. Alaska Natives from around the vast state recieve care here and to help facilitate healing special care was taken to ensure healing space was a major part of the hospital. Every floor has wonderful viewing areas of the moutain ranges nearby. Significant cultural/traditional pieces have been purchased and displayed on every floor of the hospital. When a patient is flown in for care and feels particularly out of place they can view the displays and identify the work from their villiage and know their not too far from home. Anchorage has the largest Native Alaska community in Alaska with many not able to get back to their village and the hospital is an important community location to reconnect. If you have an opportunity to visit Anchorage take some time to tour the Alaska Native Medical Center.
Dr. Sternberg’s presentation was a great blend of scholarship applied to daily life – and much to be admired. My Institute within our UNC-Charlotte moved from a 1960s utilitarian bldg to a beautiful (I think the most beautiful) building with original artwork in many mediums displayed on all floors in common areas. The selection of the artwork was up to the departments housed in the building and includes a mural-sized oil painting, a memory quilt, giant transparencies of the eye, poster-sized photographs of people and places around the world, sculptures, and glass display cases for small items. Classrooms have at least one wall painted in a “good” color. The building isn’t “perfect”, but it is certainly a great place to go to every day. My route doesn’t take me past it very often, but I “know” that outside the main entrance is a medicinal herbs garden, with educational labels. While my students are internationals learning English, the building is the College of Health and Human Services, sharing a courtyard with the College of Education which is not quite as beautiful but has some of these same elements.
My point in this lengthy comment is that I can see every day that people who are working in pleasant surroundings benefit from thoughtful design. We who are benefiting from listening to these great conversations need to share what we’re learning!
Thank you for providing the free listening opportunity. My phone alarm is permanently set at 4pm Wednesday so I can get to a computer from wherever I am!
Thank you for an interesting interview. Previously I read books by Christopher Alexander and I will definitely read dr. Sternberg’s books.This is a very important subject that interests me and that deserves attention.
I enjoyed very much Esther Sternberg’s presentation this afternoon on the webseminar. Very interesting thoughts how one can one heal better by beautiful scenery and nice surroundings.
I saw the “Maggies” cancer support centres highlighted in an architecture programme last night – seems highly relevant.