Our course integrates music and art program with the most advanced and innovative research in somatic trauma healing from Ergos Institute of Somatic Education by Peter Levine, Ph.D.
We are certified in the Somatic Attachment Therapy Program that is incorporated into Artomya Course.
https://www.somaticexperiencing.com/ergosHow art can heal your trauma
Published by Lyena Atonyicq
Art and trauma may not appear to be friends at first glance, but really, they are!
If you read letters and memoirs of notorious artists and composers, you'll see that the majority of them were extremely traumatized and frail, which is why we have all of these wonderful works of art. Cut off ears, broken hearts, deafness, alcohol addictions, wars and not being acceptable-would they create all their masterpieces if they were fed, loved, and accepted during their lifetime? Would Verdi's "Va, Pensiero" ever become a classical national anthem of Italy if he didn't suffer the losses of his wife and two infants? Would Beethoven's music be that "genius and perfect" if not his determination and drive to create caused by his trauma of deafness and women's rejections? Of course, there would neither be "6th Symphony" of Tchaikovsky if he was happy in his marriage, Modigliani would not be who he was...the list can go on endlessly.
And no, I'm not advocating that people live in misery in order to create art; while some drama is necessary—often a "price to pay" (ask Mozart)—we will reap the greatest benefits from their masterpieces and make their lives truly meaningful if we recognize and appreciate all the sacrifices those artists made. What occurs when we stare at a painting, whether it's a beautiful smiling Borocco woman or a terrifying Aivazovsky storm? We raise our spirits to a higher degree of awareness and enter another realm of imagination. And while dwelling there -magic happens.
Engaging with the most common types of art, whether that is listening to music or viewing a beautiful painting, activates frontal and subcortical regions of our brain, several of which reflect emotional dimensions of ourselves. It's astonishing how a simple external stimulus can elicit such a strong emotional response in us, and my team and I aim to leverage this to overcome mental obstacles and psychological traumas. According to studies, viewing art causes a significant increase in gamma and delta wave connectivity in the brain. This translates to improved decision-making abilities, information processing, and overall cognition, all of which can be extremely useful when dealing with personal emotional barriers.
When viewing art or engaging in a musical piece, we go through a process called embodied cognition, in which through specific cells in your brain called mirror neurons, any action or energy you sense in an artistic endeavor, is transformed into pure emotion. In some cases, and with the right guidance, you can literally place yourself inside the art, be engulfed within your emotions, and come in touch with your inner world. It is not surprising then, that when engaging with beautiful forms of art, the Default Mode Network (DMN) of our brain is also activated. This neural network is mainly associated with inward contemplation and self-assessment, both of which are important aspects of any emotional introspection. As if that weren't enough, it has been found that when we humans view works of art that we find beautiful, that triggers an immediate release of dopamine into the brain–a neuromodulator related to feelings of pleasure and love.
Do you think we have to listen to only positive and happy music to heal trauma?
Consider it this way: in order to heal from a painful experience, we must first identify it, make peace with it, and even become friends with it. After all, it's embedded deep within us for a purpose, and it's not going anywhere unless we build a "gentle bridge" and an environment where there's no reason for it to stay.
The same may be said for music. Listening to Rachmaninoff's stormy music long enough will elicit strong emotions, prompt us to recall terrible memories, then make peace with them, and eventually, we will be able to gently walk our trauma through the door. Is it sufficient to put on Rachmaninoff's Second Concerto and wait for the miracle to happen? Well, not really! In my program, however, I'll show you exactly how to accomplish it step by step. Soft happy music? Of course, you can expect it right after as a reward for successful somatic intervention!
"Art is science made clear"
Jean Cocteau
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