Art, Healing and Wellness Program
Every day in the hospital, patients and families are making difficult decisions for themselves and loved ones, while caregivers deal with challenging situations. The Providence St. Vincent Pastoral Services’ Art, Healing and Wellness Program was created in 2017 to ease their way. By bringing music and other artistic expressions into the hospital, we can balance clinical care with holistic, emotional, and spiritual care of patients, families and staff.
Providence Health and Services has long recognized that music is effective in creating and maintaining a sense of well-being. Providence St. Vincent Medical Center employs two full-time, certified music-thanatologists and has offered music-thanatology services to patients and families, free of charge, for 19 years.
In collaboration with the hospital’s Volunteer Services Department, the Art, Healing and Wellness Program cultivates a vibrant, volunteer musician group. You can hear these skilled musicians playing in various public spaces on campus. They often reflect on their influence in the hospital, saying how grateful visitors are for the beautiful music, how it eased a patient’s anxiety before a doctor’s appointment or how caregivers are uplifted by a relaxing song during their busy day.
Current volunteer musicians play the piano, flute, harp and cello. The program warmly welcomes musicians who may be interested in volunteering for this worthwhile project.
For more information, contact: PSMVC Pastoral Services Department, Laura Moya, Art, Healing and Wellness Music Program at 503-216-2261 or email: laura.moya@providence.org.
