Our mission is to transform lives through the innate power of the arts, guided by mental health practices, to foster healing, connection, and resilience for all. Our experiential education programs are designed to serve all ages and populations, including those living with challenges such as trauma, loneliness, disability, illness, loss, or social isolation. Our sustainable strategy for meeting the needs of under-resourced communities includes partnerships, online trainings, and free programs in socially and emotionally supportive practices that anyone can use, and an online Certificate Program in Social Emotional Arts for those who want to learn how to develop, deliver, and evaluate their own effective curricula.
External link for Arts & Healing Initiative
2626 33rd Street
Santa Monica, California 90405, US
How are the arts vital to individual and collective healing? Check out these featured presentations and conversations from the 2025 #ArtsAndHealthWeekSummit at https://buff.ly/9ISLMxi that explore this question—and offer resources on supporting well-being through the arts.
Now offered with an optional Youth-Led Extension! Join us October 23 to experience the power of contemporary drum circles with group counseling to build core strengths in this fun, engaging session with our Founder & Director, Ping Ho. Save your spot for this popular evidence-based and trauma-informed program today at https://buff.ly/oHcSrOZ
Join us next month for Blessing in the Chaos: Writing Our Way To Calm—a FREE virtual workshop offered as part of our HOPE Series. Explore how expressive writing can bring forth inner wisdom and calm in this hands-on session that utilizes creative prompts and poetry reflection to culminate in crafting a personal piece that honors our own unique blessings, journey, and voice. Visit https://buff.ly/In6a3pa to learn more and to register!
Whether you're a patient, caregiver, or provider—Peace Out Portal offers resources and tools for incorporating the arts in your healthcare journey. Explore this free, online hub from our friends at The Benjamin Goldberg Foundation at https://buff.ly/PZLNFQc
Read this short reflection piece at https://buff.ly/QSqQEI7 on the work from our collaboration with UCLA|VA Family Wellbeing Center to bring creative arts therapists together with Vets to facilitate groups centered on mind-body healing.
It’s National Arts in Education Week! Time to celebrate (and advocate for!) the teachers, mentors, students, and moments that spark our creativity. This week highlights what research confirms: arts education is a wellness powerhouse. For students facing mental health challenges, the arts offer: • Emotional regulation skills to navigate stress • Stress reduction (45 minutes of art-making lowers cortisol by 25%!) • Supportive peer connections through collaboration • Healthy outlets for expression and healing Every student deserves the chance to thrive—not just academically, but emotionally. Visit https://buff.ly/xHMqjvl to learn more.
Whether you're looking to boost your career or explore a new field, our online Certificate Program in Social Emotional Arts is for anyone interested in maximizing the social emotional benefits of the arts. Secure your spot and embark on a journey of learning and growth. Apply now at https://buff.ly/KQJRTHf for our Fall Intensive—our recommended September 4 application deadline is around the corner! Background artwork by Gina Grice, SEA Alum, 2024
Join us for two special, free HOPE Series workshops—When Hope Collides with Chronic Illness: Self-Compassionate Coping through the Arts and Body Wisdom: An Art Prescription for Pain Relief—offered virtually in partnership with Creative Healing for Youth in Pain (CHYP) in support of Pain Awareness Month. Visit https://buff.ly/MyHECiT for more info and to register!
Happy National Nonprofit Day! Today we celebrate not only the tenacious service and dedication of our own small and mighty team here at Arts & Healing Initiative, but all the teams, donors, partners, educators, community leaders, boards, trainees, and volunteers that support the integral role of arts nonprofits as we continue to lift one another up during an incredibly trying year for our sector. Find out more about what we offer, how we serve, and how you can support us by visiting https://buff.ly/HXlZcra