Our arts and health initiatives aim to make our hospital environments welcoming places to visit and work in. A comparison of theater and visual arts training showed fewer benefits in fewer areas for visual arts. This group was a collaboration between the National Centre for Arts and Health, Chronic Pain Ireland and South Dublin County Libraries. What makes MMA potentially attractive to young people is the way MMA removes some of the supposed ‘mystique’ surrounding mindfulness (and meditation) by its inclusion in a socially-valued and ever-so-physical activity like martial arts.

In their study, Puig et al. 58 explored the efficacy of a complementary creative arts therapy intervention with respect to enhancing emotional expression, spirituality, and psychological well-being among newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. In other words, we do not exist to make profit for ourselves, but channel those profits back into our work improving the health and wellbeing of our …