Art, nature and health

The seminar presented experiences with the use of art and nature therapies, research evidence and opportunities in health care.

The free seminar was jointly organized by the University of Tampere and Yhdistava Lääketiede ry. More than 300 people registered for the event, some of whom participated in the event on site, some via remote connection.

The seminar was recorded. Link to recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o8elBRP9CI&t=2s

Check out the program of the seminar and the introductions of the speeches from this link

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After the opening words of the association’s president Anneli Milén, the first speech of the seminar was given by professor Jaakko Erkkilä from the University of Jyväskylä. He interestingly described the course of music therapy, its research and the studied effects.

In addition, the speech discussed the status of art therapies and the obstacles to its strengthening in Finland.

Read the article about Professor Jaakko Erkkilä’s speech!

After Erkkilä, researcher, docent Pia Vuolanto from Tampere University took the floor. He told about the currently ongoing research, which examines, among other things, what the knowledge base and training paths of anthroposophic medicine therapists are like, and how they relate to mainstream medicine.

Even before lunch, Kaija Helin took the audience on an interesting journey about the role of art in health care, from ancient times to the present day. The speech reminded the audience that art and nature have played a very important role in supporting people’s well-being and curing diseases both in ancient Greece and in the Middle Ages, when the Catholic Church took over healthcare.

You are not a drop in the ocean but an ocean in a drop.

It was only at the dawn of a new era, when modern medicine developed – which is really great – that nature and art began to separate from health care, only to return again today.

Art reminds us that we are not just bodies.

After lunch, the seminar continued with Päivi Pylvänäinen, Ph.D. in psychology, speaking about dance-movement therapy, and after him, art therapist Anna-Liisa Tarvainen gave a review about visual art therapy.

Also read: The effect of dance-movement therapy found – blog article

The day ended with speeches by Irma Heiskanen and Eero Peltonen. Peltonen also made the audience participate and directed people to traditional songs.

It was a great and important seminar day – thanks to all participants live and remotely!