Arts & Humanities + The "DOing" Therapies


​If we have that Double Blind Study validating some advanced immune system/microbiome treatment --- we should use it.
  • If "traditional" mental health treatment "works" or is "better than nothing" -- we should use it.
  • BUT before any of that we had the ARTS & HUMANITIES -- and many homeless and incarcerated people want the opportunity to develop their talents in those diverse areas.

In a lot of ways we are already starting to incorporate the humanities and that is not a new effort.

BUT that arts and humanities as therapy effort is FAR, FAR from the SCALE desired by individuals.

[HINT:  We have met many individuals who are homeless or incarcerated and would appreciate MUSIC THERAPY.]

It would seem that there "might" be opportunities to mainstream these Humanities Therapies and run them through:
  • Rec Centers
  • Public Libraries
  • ​Public or Private Entities by Application.

​4th Draft
Anticipate finishing this document by November 1, 2021

After completing this Table, we will construct a SURVEY on Survey Monkey to quantify further preferences in Colorado.

If we can work out the outreach logistics, we may try to make the survey available for broader geographic groups.
A New Way of Looking at the Humanities
  • We often think of the "Humanities" as something people should be "exposed" to and encouraged to "appreciate."
  • We don't generally consider the Humanities as ESSENTIAL to:
    • ​Emotional Regulation
  • Yet, many of these state, national & international arts and humanities therapy associations are making the case that many forms of the arts and humanities do function as "therapy."

When a lot of people really are looking for fun, authentic social interaction beyond an Aerobics Class -- ARTS & HUMANITIES THERAPY could at least be a PIECE of an overall wellness program.

 
One of the ideas behind "Orchid" is that people who are "Orchids" -- more biologically sensitive to the environment or NEURO-DIVERSE tend to have INTENSE EMOTIONS.

Various forms of art have always been a big outlet for that.  

The Arts:  Capitalizing on Intense emotions

Billie Eilish Gets Candid About Tourette Syndrome with Ellen
Warning:  "Getting Older" is about a lot of things, including TRAUMA.

​Billie Eilish
Getting Older
Lyla June, featuring Desirae Harp 
Time Traveler
 Picture
Duke Sanford World Food Policy Center
Radiohead
Follow Me Around
Little Simz
Introvert
Violin Vigils for Elijah McClain
McClain was killed by Aurora Police & Paramedics in 2019
​
McClain's statement to officers -- "I am an introvert" -- became a rallying cry.
Janelle Monáe
Turntables
WARNING:  Whitechapel's lead singer/songwriter Phil Bozeman uses much of the group's music to explore his TRAUMATIC CHILDHOOD.  This video focuses on his mother's substance use.
​
Whitechapel
Hickory Creek
Old Dominion---No Hard Feelings

Val's Take:  Even as unconventional as we are, generally our prescription is not --- go out to the Lake, hang out with your buddies, and drink and all will become clear ---- I'm sure next time the guys in Old Dominion will bring their water bottles and yoga mats. [There was that reference to THERAPY, TEQUILA and a BLENDER.]

Even with all that, we couldn't pass up the important message contained in "No Hard Feelings" --- which is it is a lot of hard work to get on the other side of hard feelings but worth it.

While Old Dominion may have been singing about the pain of a "LOVE OF MY LIFE" --- that wasn't --- there are a lot of DIFFERENT KINDS of CONFLICTS OUT THERE and it can be strangely comforting to REMEMBER THAT.

Further, we've got some SOCIETAL CONFLICTS that have been going on for 400 to 500 years with INDIGENOUS PEOPLE and PEOPLE WE ENSLAVED or MADE SECOND-CLASS CITIZENS.  We've done a lot of hard work, but there is a lot more to do to get to "No Hard Feelings, No Bad Vibes." 
Gustavo Santaolala & Gary Clark, Jr.
Valley of Last Resort
Lois Curtis -- one of the original Plaintiffs in the US Supreme Court's 1999 Olmstead decision, holding unnecessary institutionalization of people with disabilities amounts to discrimination under
​the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Andy Grammer
Damn It Feels Good To Be Me
Lil Nas X covers Dolly Parton's 
Jolene
John Prine
Summer's End
"They got me peakin' through the window
Outside is all I know, I'll never make it out this hole
Because I got a fuckin' felony."

Warning:  Some Language Issues
Lyrics
Wallie the Sensei
03' Flow
"Not sure whose will be done
You can call me a sinner for wondering why"
Lyrics
​
Colter Wall
Sleeping on the Blacktop
"Some nights, I drown in the weight
Of the things that I think I need"
Lyrics
​
OneRepublic
Someday
Western Slope Now
 Colorado has No. 11 Highest Rate of Homelessness in the Nation
​
​Japanese Breakfast
Savage Good Boy

This video really illustrates our ideas about using the Arts & Humanities to work through complex, intense emotions --- either individually or collaboratively.

Also, Art often ratchets things up to make a point.   Of course, comedy often ratchets things down.

The Arts & Humanities aren't a panacea BUT they can be therapeutic.
Citizen Kane (1941)
We think the video makers for Japanese Breakfast's "Savage Good Boy" took a few pages from Kane, especially this famous montage of the couple becoming increasing estranged as evidenced by the length of the dining table.

Japanese Breakfast takes it to a whole new level with a FEMINIST SLANT and a VAMPIRE ENDING.
Emotions as WAVES is a popular idea and it is picked up by American Authors in "Deep Water" and by Imagine Dragons in "Wrecked."
​
American Authors
Deep Water
Imagine Dragons
Wrecked
Waiting on that Olmstead Train
​"I know you've been hurting
"Waiting on a train that just won't come"

Dermot Kennedy
Better Days ​
​Warning:  Some Language Issues

Vince Staples
Are You With That?​
Russian band --- Intelligency
August (in English)  ​
Some Language Issues
PoloG
​Painting Pictures
This is Jan van Eyck's "Arnolfini Portrait" (1434).   We're including it because it is a painted picture, it includes a woman who is pregnant -- Maternal Immune Activation  is a significant source of Neuro-Diversity, and the painting includes a MIRROR. Jan van Eyck is associated with the Northern Renaissance.

Cynthia Erivo
Glowing Up
Ed Sheeran
Visiting Hours
Kanye West
Come to Life
Lyrics
Jon Denton reacts to Kanye West's "Come to Life"
Lyla June, featuring Mitzi Begay
1000 Ancestors
The Petersens
Livin' On Tulsa Time
Eric Clapton
Livin' On Tulsa Time

​So What's The Point? :   Neither The Petersens nor Eric Clapton are from Tulsa or for that matter Oklahoma, but they nonetheless found something they could relate to in "Livin' On Tulsa Time."

The person who really drove this home for me was a Catholic Priest --- I'm not Catholic and Catholic Priests have been having a lot of problems.  Nonetheless, he said "I'm a human being, if you help me --- I can understand."

​We need a lot more of that.