The arts as a powerful tool in medicine and healing is the focus of a panel discussion set for Tuesday, Nov. 13, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
The panel will include artists and therapists who use a variety of creative arts to help individuals on their paths to healing and wellness, including an art therapist working with veterans at the Birmingham Vet Center who will feature some of the works created by veterans in Birmingham.
The discussion is set for 6:30 p.m. at UAB’s Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center and is free and open to the public. It is presented by Opera Birmingham with UAB’s Institute for Arts in Medicine. Reservations are encouraged and can be made online. Refreshments will be served following the conversation.
The discussion is the final event in Opera Birmingham’s Birmingham Speaks series, community conversations inspired by “Glory Denied,” the story of America’s longest-held prisoner of war, who spent nine years in captivity during the Vietnam War. These conversations highlight the contributions and challenges of the United States’ veterans and their families, and help spread awareness about this powerful story and the stories of veterans right here in Birmingham.
The panel of speakers includes:
- Christianne Strang, Ph.D., ATR-BC, CEDCAT-S, psychologist and assistant professor in the UAB College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Psychology, president of the American Art Therapy Association
- Wesley Hyde, MT-BC, music therapist at Encompass Lakeshore Rehab Hospital
- Michelle Davidson, LMFT, director of Art and Music Therapies at the Hoover Vet Center
- Lillis Taylor, M.A., artist-in-residence at UAB’s Institute for Arts in Medicine and executive director of Bib & Tucker Sew-Op
- Salaam Green, M.Ed., freelance writer and poet, and artist-in-residence at UAB’s Institute for Arts in Medicine
The Birmingham Speaks series is sponsored by Medical Properties Trust.