A couple of months ago, the American Parkinson's Disease Association contacted me to ask if I would facilitate their first ever "Connecting through Art" program in San Antonio. I was thrilled---APDA recognized what many organizations don't always---art therapist's are experts in facilitating meaningful art groups tailored to the needs of each population.
In fact, art therapy is a comprehensive complementary therapeutic intervention for Parkinson's Disease. Art therapy offers a non-verbal outlet for expressing emotions and reducing anxiety, which can be challenging due to the disease's impact on communication.
The creative process stimulates motor functions, helping to improve fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, which are often affected by Parkinson's. Engaging in art can also enhance cognitive function, providing mental stimulation that helps to slow cognitive decline. Moreover, the sense of accomplishment and joy derived from creating art can boost mood and overall well-being, offering emotional relief from the daily challenges of living with Parkinson's. UT Health San Antonio is a co-sponsor of the event. Their Movement Disorder Program focuses on providing additional support for those living with PD and their care partners. This is the first time for this program to be facilitated here in San Antonio and we all desire its success! APDA provided a press release that I shared with local news outlets and to our delight- it was as newsworthy as we all thought too. Coverage extended beyond online sources and two tv channels requested on camera interviews. GreatDay SA featured this upcoming program with a segment in which we created silk hoop paintings, our activity for the upcoming event.
It had a great effect-- UTHealth San Antonio reported an immediate positive response and we are looking at a full class! It's great to see such a positive reception for the art therapy process. Looking forward to many more community collaborations in the future!
Check out the full news segment here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pe2T-cBT5s
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