Art as Empathetic Connection: Ways to Heal the Brain and Soul from Trauma

The following essay serves to provide the reader with an understanding of trauma, specifically the harms that come from social isolation and existing on the periphery of society, and the paths carved by artists (painters, sculptures, dancers, writers, musicians, and expressive therapists) who offer their own unique and evocative artforms as a means of expression and connection. Current research on trauma, and the impact on growth and human development, will be presented, as will the research behind the efficacy of art and connection as treatment. The artists interviewed throughout this essay will both provide personal context for the experience of trauma and serve as examples of the healing power of art and the empathy and human connections that emerge from artistic expression and practice. Through their works, affinities of empathy are born that serve as a means of a healing response to the injustices and injuries endured by so many.