Circles of Care Spring/Summer 2021 Newsletter Vol. 28 No.1
With the guidance of an art therapist, Harbor Hospice patients have new creative ways to express their feelings By Susan Newhof
Art Therapist Amy Hamman bubbles with enthusiasm when she talks about working with Harbor Hospice patients. It’s been just a month since she began introducing them to the fun and the benefits of art therapy, and already, equally enthusiastic patients are displaying some of their art projects for visitors. “People are sometimes a little hesitant at first,” says Amy, whose respect and care for her patients is immediately apparent. “They don’t know what to expect, and they often tell me they aren’t a good artist or that they don’t know anything about art. I tell them if they are willing to try it, and if they’ll trust me, we’ll come up with ideas and work on them together.” In fact, Amy stresses that patients don’t need any artistic experience or natural artistic ability for art therapy to be helpful, and often, they benefit simply from the process of making art. Using art as a means of expression and even diagnosis has been documented going back centuries. In the mid-1900s, it became a publicly accepted therapeutic approach for addressing issues such as depression and anxiety in both the US and Europe. Amy has worked with people of all ages and situations, from convicted felons to children traumatized by their time in foster care or juvenile systems. And for people coming to the end of their life, she says, art therapy can be an especially effective way to communicate feelings. “While it’s natural for those in hospice care to begin looking more inward, that process can be accompanied by a sense of isolation and depression,” she explains. “Sometimes patients don’t know how to explain in words what they are feeling, but they can do it through guided artistic expression or by making things.” “Creative expression encourages people to move and be active to the extent they are able, and it can help them get engaged and out of their bubble,” she says. “I guide them, and they take me on their journey.” Working one-on-one with each person, Amy customizes the art activity to fit each individual’s need. For example, a hospice patient who feels at peace about their diagnosis may have concerns about a family member who is experiencing their own difficult health issues or struggling with grief. Amy encourages the patient to talk with her about the person they want to reach out to, especially that person’s interests such as fishing, quilting, or hunting. Then she sketches pictures on a card reflecting those interests, and the patient can use easy-to-grip watercolor markers to fill them in. That card becomes an important bridge for communication between the patient and someone they care about.
Amy Hamman received a master’s degree in education specializing in art therapy from Wayne State University and is board certified nationally.
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“Art therapy makes me happy and also makes me feel alive, like a new beginning!” –Luella Hansen