Arts participation builds emotional and social resilience.

Trauma-informed arts programs are an effective addition to clinical care.

Creative engagement can strengthen mental well-being, social connection, and long-term trauma recovery.

Written by Thi Ngoc Mai Le, Graduate Research Assistant at the International Arts Mind Lab, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

“Path with Art gave me my life back. My spark. My love for life.”

For one participant of Path with Art (PwA), a Seattle-based nonprofit organization that provides free community arts programming for individuals affected by trauma, these words capture the power of community arts engagement. Rooted in the understanding that art is a fundamental human need, PwA provides free community arts programming, partnering with hospitals, shelters, and recovery organizations to make creative expression accessible to populations that are often considered “hard to reach.” These include people recovering from trauma such as homelessness, domestic violence, substance use disorders, and post-traumatic stress.

Through storytelling, music, dance, poetry, and other creative practices, PwA, like community-based arts programs across the country, helps participants make meaning, build connection, and foster healing. Stories like these are common among participants, teaching artists, and community leaders who have long witnessed........

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