蜜芽TV

By Caitlin Geiger

It doesn鈥檛 fit the mold of the traditional classroom setting, and its students receive far听more than a typical educational experience.

In Dr. Diane Dembicki鈥檚 Healing and the Arts course, housed under the School of听Nursing, each class focuses on a different approach to healing therapies, spanning from听expressive and visual arts and drama therapy to dance and music therapy. 鈥淚t looks at听various therapies in healthcare,鈥� Dr. Dembicki says. 鈥淚t is an interdisciplinary approach听that allows faculty from the Departments of Art and Art History, Music and Psychology听to work with the School of Nursing in a unique manner.鈥�

A popular selection among students from all areas of study, Healing and the Arts听provides a welcomed break from the typical lecture class or lab. The course teaches听basic relaxation and meditation techniques one day, and the next, students are invited听to create street and graffiti art. Often students discover hidden interests that they decide听to pursue after the course concludes. 鈥淚鈥檝e had a few students say they were going to听explore a minor or major in the arts or music therapy,鈥� Dr. Dembicki says.

A recent healing demonstration brought Darlington Great Pyrenees to the classroom,听displaying how these therapeutic dogs reduce stress and provide some relief to听patients. Susie Wong trained, raised and specialized in Great Pyrenees for more than听20 years, bringing the canines to North Shore-Long Island Jewish University Hospital听two to three times a week. 鈥淕oing into the hospital and meeting all kinds of people from听all walks of life, it鈥檚 just incredible,鈥� Ms. Wong says.

Spring 2012 marked the third straight semester that Dr. Dembicki hosted Ms. Wong听and the therapy dogs, and the crowd of spectators exceeded the class roster, proving听the popularity of the course and its offerings. But Dr. Dembicki finds students are more听hesitant at the beginning of the semester. 鈥淭he very first couple of classes, students听unbearably say 鈥業鈥檓 no artist鈥� or 鈥業 don鈥檛 know how to draw鈥� and I ban those statements听from class,鈥� she says. With a strong emphasis on creative expression, participation is a听large part of the grade.

Dr. Dembicki says the course serves as 鈥渁 real de-stressor,鈥� particularly for the nursing听students鈥攁 factor in the course鈥檚 popularity. Dr. Dembicki calls it 鈥渁 ripple effect of听healing.鈥�