Museum Objects, Health and Healing: The Relationship between Exhibitions and Wellness

Description

Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Contents List of figures Acknowledgments Introduction SECTION I: Our primal dialogue with objects 1 Ordinary portents 2 Object scholars and the literature Guiding themes 3 The power of objects Humanness The universal SECTION II: The theory of psychotherapeutic object dynamics 4 Creation of the theory Encounters in the wild Among the totems Genesis of the psychotherapeutic object dynamics 5 The theory and framework Associating Composing Giving/receiving Making Releasing/unburdening Synergizing Touching Psychotherapeutic object dynamics interrelationships SECTION III: Therapeutic object practices in clinical and educational settings 6 The wilderness within Releasing heaviness Making and tending fire Beads, letters, and photographs Symbolic objects Natural sculptures The potential of therapeutic objects 7 Creativity and the true teacher Inner and outer worlds Vulnerability and care Engagement and play Facilitation and attentiveness Empowered participants Emotional safety Inward and onward SECTION IV: Health and healing in the museum setting 8 Seeing through a new lens: the empirical research Criteria Process and findings 9 The National September 11 Memorial & Museum Overview of findings Expressions of the dynamics 10 The War Childhood Museum Overview of findings Expressions of the dynamics 11 The Derby Museum and Art Gallery Overview of findings Connection Expressions of the dynamics 12 The Museum at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) Overview of findings Expressions of the dynamics SECTION V: Implications for museums 13 The museum—wellness connection Therapeutic engagement in museum settings Supporting the museum community Recommendations for therapeutic organizational development 14 Working with trauma, grief, and related challenges Trauma Understanding the mechanisms of trauma Grief and loss Shame Intentional process and design Training and competency for museum research and therapeutic activities Conclusion A living presence Deconstructing silos, pursuing possibilities, and finding freedom Moving onward, deeply into, and farther beyond References Index