Art therapy helps our people beat burnout
A new study from Barts Health has shown that group art therapy can help doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff feel less stressed, less burnt out, and better able to cope with the pressures of their jobs.
The research – published in BMJ Public Health – is the first trial of its kind to show that art therapy can really improve the wellbeing of NHS employees.
This comes at a time when many healthcare workers are feeling burnt out, which affects their morale, patient safety, and means more staff leave their jobs.
The study, in the form of a randomised control trial, was led by Megan Tjasink, principal art psychotherapist at Barts Health and a researcher funded by Barts Charity at Queen Mary University of London.
It included 129 staff from St Bartholomew’s, The Royal London, Whipps Cross, and Newham hospitals.
Half the participants took part in a six-week course of 90-minute art therapy sessions. The rest were put on a waiting list.
In small, private groups of about eight people, staff used paints, clay, and other materials to express their feelings – no art skills were needed. They also talked openly about the hard parts of their work.
The sessions, led by trained therapists, provided a safe space where people could think about their feelings, reconnect with what matters to them, and find new ways to handle stress.
Those who took part said they felt less emotionally drained, more connected to their patients, and less stressed, anxious, and depressed.
These benefits lasted for at least three months after the sessions finished. Almost everyone (98%) said the therapy helped them, and all said they would recommend it to their colleagues.
One nurse said the sessions "helped me to mentally put aside things that had happened during the day," and another said they felt "calmer and more able to enjoy time with friends and family."
The team now hopes to secure funding to make art therapy a regular part of staff support, starting with busy areas like emergency departments.
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