How art fosters emotional & creative wellness

Art can be a tool to support emotional and creative wellness. William Doan, a retired Penn State theater professor, spends at least 15-20 minutes every morning drawing in a meditative state. He began drawing as a kid, but as an adult, he realized that drawing helped him cope with panic attacks by slowing down his breathing and helping him focus.

While he noticed an impact, he wanted to see if what he was feeling could be verified by science. That led him to Sarah Myruski, an assistant research professor of psychology, and the Emotion Development Lab.