Don’t Take a Pill, Write a Poem: The Practical, High-Demand Healing Powers and Neuro-Science of Poetry and Visual Art

Seton Hall University Professors Mark Svenvold and Dr. Fortunato Battaglia will lead a conversation on the practicality of poetry at the South by South Orange Festival (SOxSO) on Saturday, June 27, 2015 from 10 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. at the South Orange Performing Arts Center’s (SOPAC) main auditorium.
“I love stories that ask the impossible — and then go on to show how the ‘impossible’ is already happening, right in your backyard,” said Svenvold. “We’ll show you how business leaders and neuroscientists are discovering the practical benefits of poetry and art.”

“Don’t Take a Pill, Write a Poem: The Practical, High-Demand Healing Powers and Neuro-Science of Poetry and Visual Art” will feature Svenvold and Dr. Battaglia, along with Gary Glazner, poet and founder and executive director of the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project, engaging with audience members to showcase the practical side of poetry.
Svenvold, associate professor of creative writing, will discuss how the fundamental aspects of poetry are used in the business world and in everyday life and that the practice of poetry, including writing and reading it, can help build creative thinking skills that are in high demand in today’s job market, as recent studies by IBM and Adobe have indicated.
Dr. Battaglia, associate professor of health sciences and health administration, and Glazner will explore another practical benefit of poetry. They will show how the experience of art and poetry can help “re-wire the brain’s circuitry,” and how poetry and art are being used in the growing field of neuro-aesthetics to treat depression, schizophrenia, autism, traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer’s disease.
The session targets a wide audience, according to Svenvold. “Anyone interested in the intersection of creativity and everyday life will benefit from the session,” he said. But healthcare specialists interested in how poetry and art are being deployed in alternative integrative therapies will benefit, too. “What I find amazing is the range of uses for poetry in neuro-aesthetics. People like Gary Glazner are using poetry at The Memory Café in Brooklyn to help patients with dementia, and scientists like Dr. Battaglia are giving us the evidence-based, scientific explanations for why poetry and art can work so well for many patients.”
The poetry discussion is just one of 12 creative, interactive sessions being held during the inaugural SOxSO festival. The festival will also feature 15 musical performances and TED-style talks given by community authors, artists and celebrities from Friday to Sunday, June 26 – June 28, 2015.
“SOxSO combines great speakers, intellectuals, and musicians with a participatory gallery walk —only you’re the one creating the art,” Svenvold said. “We’ve got a Creative Midway, with a Life Drawing Marathon, a Community Sculpture, Paint Ball Art, a Poetry Scavenger Hunt, a ‘Zine Workshop, and a chance for people to immortalize their creative selves on WSOU radio and the Creative Collisions Open Mic Sound Stage.”

To purchase your festival wristband, which includes access to this session and more, visit www.SOxSO.org.