The Montgomery Museum of Art and History is trying something brand new - offering mental health self-help tactics and strategies by using art exhibits, materials, and spaces as helpful tools. This four-part interactive series entitled, “The Art of Happiness,” will focus on aspects of positive psychology and the role that art can play in our general happiness and well-being. This program series will be held at the Montgomery Museum on the third Thursday of each month, December through March from 6:00pm till 7:30pm. The museum will remain open late on these dates to allow participants the opportunity to see all museum exhibits and spaces. Space is limited so early registration is encouraged.
“The goal of this new program series is to highlight and raise awareness to mental health issues and accessibility while simultaneously offering unique methods and strategies to cope with things like stress, anxiety, and depression,” said Casey Jenkins, Executive Director of the Montgomery Museum. “Making space for art therapy in a museum or cultural center can have very profound effects as it relates to experiential self-help.”
The sessions will be led by Shelby Wynn, a registered art therapist and licensed professional counselor within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Carilion Clinic.
- December 15 will explore the ability to cope with words; an understanding of thoughts and emotions.
- January 19 will feature visual music through abstract drawing.
- February 16 will facilitate mindfulness and meditation through sculpting.
- March 16 will focus on Zentangles and the ability to practice mindfulness when other coping skills are inaccessible.
"I am very excited to be partnering with the Montgomery Museum for the next few months. Art is such an integral part of mental health - be it fine art, movement, or music - and it is inspiring to have an organization such as the museum find it important to bridge the gap in mental health awareness,” said Wynn. “I am honored to be a part of something so innovative.”
All materials will be provided by the museum and no art experience is required. This is not designed to be an outpatient group therapy session, but rather a free community-building self-help experience. For more information on this program series and to register, please visit https://montgomerymuseum.org/arttherapy/
