{"id":17314,"date":"2019-10-17T10:16:56","date_gmt":"2019-10-17T10:18:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.museunacional.cat\/?p=17314"},"modified":"2020-11-02T10:34:17","modified_gmt":"2020-11-02T10:34:17","slug":"we-take-care-of-mental-health-in-the-museu-dart-de-cerdanyola-workshop-of-artistic-therapy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.museunacional.cat\/en\/we-take-care-of-mental-health-in-the-museu-dart-de-cerdanyola-workshop-of-artistic-therapy\/","title":{"rendered":"We take care of mental health in the Museu d\u2019Art de Cerdanyola: Workshop of artistic therapy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Lourdes Lopetegui<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

It is now one year since the edition in the Museu Nacional of the course, <\/em>Introduction to Arts in Health. Creation and management of programmes in mental health: anxiety and depression disorders, aimed at professionals of culture and health. Lourdes Lopetegui, psychologist, attended and explained the experience of organising an activity in the Museu d\u2019 Art de Cerdanyola<\/a> for a group of people affected by anxiety and agoraphobia.  The experiences turned out to be very fruitful.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Anxiety and depression, very present in today’s society<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The percentage of the population over 15\nyears old with problems of anxiety and depression is 12.2% in men and 20.8% in\nwomen according to a survey published by the Department of Health of the\nGeneralitat Catalunya in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anxiety<\/strong> is the first symptom when faced with any\nstressing situation of life, due both to family causes, as well as labour,\npersonal, social, those derived from economic factors and many other everyday\ncircumstances that affect all of us.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An anxiety crisis and agoraphobia can\nemerge within the context of different disorders of anxiety, habitually\naccompanied by fear and intense discomfort.  There are various symptoms: palpitations,\nelevated heart rate, sweating, feeling of shortness of breath, feeling of\nchoking, tightness or chest discomfort, nausea, abdominal discomfort,\ninstability, dizziness, feeling of lack of control, fear of dying, paraesthesia\n(feeling of \u201cpins and needles\u201d), hot flashes and chills, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The World Health Organization recognizes that\nthe mental disorders are increasing in\nall the countries and recommends investing in mental health treatments<\/strong>,\ngiven that the performance of 400% clearly surpasses the costs that is supposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Group session at the Museu d’Art de Cerdanyola<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Since 2015, in the Centre of Mental Health of Adults of Cerdanyola-Ripollet a group psychotherapeutic approach has been carried out to treat anxiety and agoraphobia<\/strong>. This is a non-management group, made up of about 10-12 people and the group’s leader, held on a weekly basis. In the sessions, a space is dedicated to group psychotherapy and the concerns and difficulties in the day-to-day life of group members are tackled so as to work on different aspects depending on the individual and group needs. They are given a structured programme for the daily practice of the mindfulness<\/a> and the group is oriented so that they carry out activities in touch with nature.  Nature and physical activity are beneficial for the improvement of anxiety.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Art and therapeutic treatment in Catalonia<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We now want to introduce art as one more\nresource in the therapeutic plan, given that it can contribute positively to the health needs of society<\/strong>.  \u201cThe health of the citizens doesn\u2019t only\ndepend on the different centres and healthcare resources that make up the\nhealth network, but of the mobilization of different community assets that,\nconveniently coordinated and aligned with the formal healthcare activity, can\nhave a positive impact on the binomial health\/illness, both individual and\ncollective” (Guillem de Efak, 2018).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To provide integral healthcare we need to collaborate with cultural agents<\/strong>\nand to generate resources for developing creativity with new Visual Thinking Strategies, how to look, to think and to communicate\nthrough art.  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Network of Art Museums<\/a> of Catalonia’s priority is to introduce art in health and make a social shift by opening up museums to the entire population<\/strong>. This innovative and multi-disciplinary initiative anticipates the future needs of society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\nSeveral investigations carried out in collaboration with health professionals,\nuniversity researchers and professionals from community organizations, in\ncountries such as Canada, Holland or the United Kingdom, demonstrate the\nbenefits that culture and art bring to health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Catalonia it is worth highlighting initiatives such as the \u00a0Alzheimer Programme in the CCCB or Estimul’Art<\/a>, which is carried out by the Fundaci\u00f3n ACE together with the Museo Mar\u00e8s, the Museu d’Hist\u00f2ria of Barcelona among others, or the project of the Museu Nacional with the Maternity Hospital of Vall d’Hebron, Art in the hospital<\/a>, so as to make the space more pleasant and to improve the emotional well-being of the hospitalized children and adolescents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Art in the hospital. A project between Museu Nacional and Hospital of Vall d’Hebron<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Art is an opportunity for people who suffer from anxiety due to the\nemotional benefits <\/strong>that the contemplation of previously\nchosen works can bring and the possibility of connecting with serenity,\nequilibrium, tranquility, beauty and interior peace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The museum provides the opportunity to tackle the internal world of the people\nthrough artistic language transcending words<\/strong>.  Just one image can suggest a multitude of\nemotions, experiences, and ideas and reach places where the word doesn\u2019t manage\nto be expressed. The museum is also a\nsocializing place<\/strong> where it is proposed that the participants share\nexperiences in a respectful environment, stimulating the imagination,\ncreativity and thinking in other ways of facing their difficulties or problems.  The aim is to improve the self-esteem and confidence in oneself and to feel the\nstrength of the group to change towards healthier habits<\/strong>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The work with patients with anxiety in the Museu d\u2019Art de Cerdanyola<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For 2019, thanks to the collaboration between the Centre of Mental Health of Adults and the Museu d\u2019Art de Cerdanyola<\/a> (MAC) we have proposed introducing art as a therapeutic tool and the museum as a normalizing community space, following the model which is applied in the Mus\u00e9e des beaux-arts of Montreal<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Group session at the Museu d’Art de Cerdanyola <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main aim is to reduce the anxiety of the participants, producing changes in their moods\nand connecting with their own personal resources<\/strong>. The group acts likes a\nchanging emotional experience, in the subjective position and in the external\nrelations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other goals of the therapeutic group in\nthe museum:<\/p>\n\n\n\n