Patients in Swiecie benefit from art therapy
Interview with Katarzyna Muszyńska and Karolina Lach from the Dr Józef Bednarz Regional Mental Health Hospital in Świecie.
On the occasion of the facility’s 170th anniversary, you are publishing a volume of poetry. This is a very interesting initiative.
Katarzyna Muszyńska: – The poetry book ‘Wielogłosy’ is a collection of poems written by both patients and employees of the Dr Józef Bednarz Regional Mental Health Hospital in Świecie. In the ongoing occupational therapy at our hospital, there was an initiative for literary meetings with the writer Margota Kott. During the series of these classes, a collection of poems was created, which were successfully collected into a beautiful volume of poetry. Thanks to the commitment of the occupational therapy team and the support of the hospital director, we published ‘Polyphonic’, which proves that even in the most difficult moments of illness, one can find the strength to act and create.
Katarzyna Muszyńska (z prawej) i Karolina Lach fot. Tomasz Czachorowski/eventphoto.com.pl dla UMWKP
What role does patient creativity play in mental health therapy?
Karolina Lach: – Art therapy and occupational therapy in a broad sense play an important role in the recovery process. We focus on restoring patients to basic social roles, developing resourcefulness and increasing independence. We argue that the diagnosis does not eliminate them from active participation in family and social life.
Participation in art therapy activities helps to reduce stress and anxiety, to work through traumas, and to distract from negative thoughts and emotions. The creative process and its visible effect improve self-esteem, increase self-esteem, teach teamwork, and influence the development of imagination and the level of empathy.
Katarzyna Muszyńska (z lewej) i Karolina Lach fot. Tomasz Czachorowski/eventphoto.com.pl dla UMWKP
Can everyone be treated in this way?
Karolina Lach: – We encourage and motivate participation in all therapeutic activities, but we always select them according to the individual needs and abilities of the patients. The activities are supposed to be enjoyable and not a source of discomfort.
Katarzyna Muszyńska: – The day centre brings a lot of positive energy and interesting therapeutic solutions into the life of the hospital. Patients have the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of activities and meetings. Among other things, we organise meetings with modern art, music therapy (including live music concerts and the creation of recycled instruments), fitness classes, fruit Thursdays to promote healthy eating, and educational and motivational meetings that allow patients to actively participate in therapy. Our activities are not only designed to support the healing process, but also to build a sense of community. They provide an opportunity for self-expression and the discovery of new skills. We believe that by being creative and working together, we can help to rebuild our patients’ mental health and better wellbeing. Each meeting at the day centre is an opportunity to share experiences that can inspire us to continue the fight for health.
21 March 2025