ART OCCUPATION FOR MEDICAL SPECIALISTS
On the 18th of February 2024, “Astra Forum” Foundation arranged an art occupation for medical specialists called “Wine painting”. This is part of initiatives of the Foundation related to improvement of medical specialists’ psychic health. The event was hosted by DaliVino, city of Sofia. 20 medical specialists from different majors and at various ages joined it.
After arranging similar events in the beginning of the summer of 2023, the feedback was more than marvellous. We are happy that once again we had the opportunity to gift such an experience to health specialists that could relate to the topic. We managed to gather at one and the same place totally new participants with profound interest in art. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, and in his welcoming speech Momchil Baev, founder and chairman of “Astra Forum” Foundation urged all the attendees to leave with at least 3 new acquaintances from the evening. So it happened – in addition to submerging in the magic of art, pleasant and useful collegial conversations were not absent.
The topic of coping with stress at the workplace is among the leading to “Astra Forum” Foundation in its work. Our experience and research work show that art could be exceptionally useful for coping with it.
The benefits could be reviewed in several directions:
Artistic vent: The participation in art of painting and other art patterns provides artistic vent while allowing the doctors to express themselves in ways that are not possible in the professional life. This mode of expression could be therapeutic while promoting stress and emotional tension alleviation.
Deviating the attention and relaxation: Being occupied with art could be a pattern of getting detached from the problems while offering relax from the highly stressful environment of the healthcare institutions. This could be a relaxing activity that promotes recharging the emotional batteries.
Empathy development: The art could promote empathy. When they are occupied with activity that requires different set of skills and perspectives, the doctors could develop deeper understanding and empathy for other people’s experience and points of view.
Community and connection: The participation in art classes or groups could help the medical workers to feel connected to their community beyond their professional life. This social aspect could cope the sensations of isolation and provide support from colleagues. Such type of occupations are good occasion for communication with colleagues on topics different from patients and work environment.
Personal development and self-revelation: the art promotes personal development and self-revelation. The medical specialists could review various aspects of their personality and identity beyond their professional roles that could be stress-freeing and relieving.
In summary, arts and painting offer multifaceted approach towards stress alleviation an prevention of professional burnout for the medical specialists, while combining emotional, psychic and sometimes physical benefits, which are essential to healthcare at high voltage.
“Astra Forum” Foundation supports the medical specialists while providing them with the opportunity to join group sessions in the city of Sofia. The group is open and could be joined by health specialists that would like to improve their mental health. The visits are only 2 a month, on Friday from 18:00 – 20:00 p.m. in the centre of the city of Sofia. The fee per one visit is symbolic – 20 BGN, and the other part would be borne by the Foundation. Should you need more information, you could contact us at email: support@astraforumfoundation.org
*This one and other initiatives of “Astra Forum” Foundation related to mental health and art take place thanks to individual donators, who support our work. You could also support us via pressing the button “DONATIONS” at our website.
