Art and Cultural
Institutions
During Covid-19
BY K ATHRYN RUSCITTO, ADVISOR
ONE OF THE opportunities in this phase
of my life is devoting time to community
organizations. I am currently Chair of the
Board of View, an arts organization in Old
Forge (viewarts.org).
A s w e he a de d i nt o t he C o v i d-1 9
pa ndemic, it seemed at f irst that our
role would be limited. We soon learned
differently. View pivoted to online offerings during the first year
and slowly moved to in-person and online classes, exhibitions
and performances.
Writing, yoga, drawing, music, pottery — all forms of art — drew
people in. View realized quite quickly that we offered something
that people needed during this time. Creativity was tied to mental
health in a way we had not appreciated (or anticipated).
As clinicians increasingly discover and acknowledge the
connection between mind and body, it makes sense to encourage
patients to find creative outlets in their healing processes.
Nationa l ly, we see hea lt hca re centers addressing t hese
connections in the treatment of cancer, heart conditions, pain,
and chronic illness.
At the Benson-Henry Institute (BHI) at Massachusetts General
Hospital, there is a deep history of examining the mind-body
connection. They found that meditation has a positive impact on
metabolism, breathing, heart rate and brain activity. Dr. Herbert
Benson labeled these changes the "relaxation response." The
relaxation response is the foundation of Mind Body Medicine
at BHI.
At Stony Brook, the Mind-Body Clinical Research Center
actively addresses the connection between menta l hea lth,
physical health and overall wellness. Their philosophy is that
"Mind-body medicine is built on the foundation that thoughts,
behaviors, emotions, biolog y and environmental influences
can interact to positively or negatively affect one's mental and
physical health."
At SUNY Upstate Medical University, integrative family
physician Kaushal Nanavati, MD, leads the effort to incorporate
meditation, yoga and relaxation into health care.
Spiritual care and prayer are also essential parts of the mind-
body connection as reflected at St. Joseph's Health, Crouse Health
and Upstate Medical University.
Clinicians are no different than the patients they treat. There
are many great examples of clinicians who engage in music,
painting, jogging and cycling, making them perfect examples
of the mind-body connection.
Covid-19 has challenged us in many ways, but it has also
accelerated our learning about how closely connected our
physical health and mental health are.
How does your practice integrate opportunities for employees
and patients to make these mind-body connections? n
Kathryn Ruscitto, Advisor, can be reached at linkedin.com/in/
kathrynruscitto or at krusct@gmail.com.
Resources for Clinicians
1. bensonhenryinstitute.org/mission-history/
2. mindbody.hmscme.com/
3. johnshopkinssolutions.com/solutions/
4. web.noom.com
5. curablehealth.com
6.
positivepsychology.com/body-mind-integration-attention-training/
7. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6194914/
8. neuro.stonybrookmedicine.edu/centers/mind-body
9. upstate.edu/fmed/healthcare/integrative.php
The Role of
M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S C E N T R A l N E W Y O R K
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