In the Chart of Humanities, we collect the voices of experts from the Humanities for Health who told us about their guiding pillars at the time of COVID-19. We report here the testimony of Stephen Legari, art therapist at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Canada) and member of our international Faculty.
Biological model
I am limited therefore I try to expand in space. I move my limbs like a wild animal. I move to music. I move to the chatter in my mind. I move to the story I am telling myself. I sit down to meditate and my body rebels. I do yoga and my body rebels. Today I rode my bicycle because it is permitted here despite the enforcement of distance. My body needs other bodies so I console myself. I hold myself. And when my wife returns from the hospital I hold her.
Mental model
At 1pm each day the leader speaks and the numbers rise. My mind goes to work on new and old information. The articles I must edit seem like they are from a different time. But I know that task and purpose are essential to the health of my mind. And so I set my mind to task. I complete something and its feels useful. The mind and the emotion dance.
Social model
I keep a log each day of who I spoke to. I send emails to people I know are isolated. I send drawings to people who were already vulnerable. I say things on social media that are encouraging. I speak to my father every day. It used to be once a week. I try to find out how my wife is doing at the hospital but she is too busy to reply. I dance over the internet with friends and family. I zoom and zoom and zoom. The world is now a grid of faces on my computer screen.
