Books in the Arts for Health series

History has been a source of cultural fascination since ancient times, however little attention has been paid to its potential as a positive force for health and wellbeing, at least until now. Presenting the benefits of historical engagement, and practical tips for making the most of it, Anna Greenwood considers the power this discipline has to spur better health outcomes. A ground-breaking work for history buffs and healthcare providers alike, this new instalment in the Arts for Health series by one of the leading scholars in modern health history advocates for history‿s ability to deepen sympathies, broaden imaginations, and create community beyond the customary restrictions of time and geography.

Easily digestible for even the busiest of readers, this book serves as a succinct, engaging, and informative guide on how the practice of painting can help improve or maintain health and wellbeing, both within and outside of professional settings.

As TikTokers, YouTubers and traditional artists continue to reimagine the video form, this book explores the value of this medium within medical practice and patient care, as well as everyday creative expression.

Join magician, author, and psychologist Richard Wiseman as he journeys into the secretive world of magic and uncovers the surprising therapeutic and educational benefits of making the impossible possible.

At the heart of Music are powerful examples from the lives of real individuals, families, and populations. These stories cover a myriad of ages, instruments, situations, and purposes, to convey the universal power of music to help us all get more out of life.

Exploring the potential for storytelling as a creative practice for health and well-being, Michael Wilson considers how the art form might help us reconsider the power relationships in healthcare contexts and restore agency to patients, in partnership with medical professionals.Storytelling is explored not simply as a means of conveying information and experience from one person to another but as an act of listening, a process for thinking, evaluating and understanding. Wilson reflects on his over thirty of years of researching and practising storytelling, and blends his experience with a collection of case studies representing diverse approaches to storytelling for health, including theatre, stand-up comedy, writing, visual arts and digital storytelling. Most importantly, storytelling is approached not from the point of view of the medical practitioner or educator, or even the patient, but through the lens of those who tell stories as a creative and everyday practice. It is a book with the storyteller at its core.

Drawings are everywhere. Daubed on ancient cave walls and projected on screens. Drawings helps us describe science, depict emotions and discover. Yet many of us laid aside drawing - or more simply, mark-making - in childhood, thereby losing a rich and varied way to tell our stories.

Can reading literature really help our mental health? This book shows how and why,not by instruction or prescription, but by emotion and exploration. Offering case histories of individual readers and reading groups, the authors showcase the health and wellbeing benefits which come from our access to written human stories and imagined situations