The Senate Mental Health Caucus is always interested in exploring innovative, accessible, and effective ways to boost positive mental health for Pennsylvanians. Earlier this year, we highlighted the importance of exercise, outdoor recreation, and exposure to fresh air and natural light in reducing depression, anxiety, and stress.
This month, we’re looking at how creative outlets – music, dance, and the arts – can serve as alternatives or complements to traditional mental health treatment like therapy and medication.
As art and music therapy continue to gain popularity as powerful tools for supporting positive mental health, more people are turning to creative activities to relieve stress or anxiety. Studies show that an overwhelming majority of people experience decreased anxiety levels, higher self-esteem, reduced PTSD symptoms, and better overall psychological health after participating in music and art therapy sessions.
It’s especially important that opportunities for arts programs and creative outlets are available to young people early on to help them develop lifelong interests and coping mechanisms for stress and anxiety.
In the legislature, March is Music, Art, Theatre, and Dance in Our Schools Month, and we continue to support funding for these school programs in the state budget.
In addition, Senator Comitta and Senator Vogel have introduced bipartisan legislation (SB 579) to license Professional Music Therapists, and Senator Picozzi is introducing legislation to license art therapists.
These and other initiatives can help support and raise awareness of music, the arts, and other creative outlets in supporting cognitive, social, personal, and emotional development, as well as treatment for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia and recovery for people with PTSD, like veterans, first responders, and survivors of crime.