A Special Message from Schurig Center’s Art Director, Midge Casler
I want to share something deeply meaningful that I believe will touch your heart – how your support helps people heal through the transformative power of art.
When someone experiences a brain injury, it’s not just the body that suffers. The mind, emotions, and spirit are all affected in profound ways. Simple things we take for granted, like speaking, remembering, and moving, suddenly become mountains to climb. However, the greatest struggle for many is the loss of identity and a life once known, the sense of isolation, and the emotional scars that are invisible to the outside world. This is where Art Therapy helps.
Art Therapy is not just about creating art; it’s about rebuilding one’s sense of identity. Each stroke of the brush, each color chosen, tells a story of resilience and healing.
While traditional medical treatments play an essential role in recovery, there is something profoundly healing about creative expression that often goes overlooked. But I can personally attest to the incredible healing power of Art Therapy because I witness it in action every day in Schurig Center’s art studio.
This healing magic is made possible by your giving!
In Art Therapy group, a variety of art forms are used to enhance a person’s cognitive, physical, and social abilities while supporting their psychological well-being. Each class begins with a calming, sensory-awareness exercise followed by one or more creative activities, such as visual arts, movement, writing, and music. At the end of class, participants share their experience with one another.
The creative process is a powerful rehabilitative tool. Creating art engages the entire brain helping to build new neural connections through a process called neuroplasticity. This stimulation can lead to improvements in areas such as focus, concentration, memory, cognition, communication, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and problem solving.
Art therapy provides a space for survivors to express complex feelings, process trauma, and rediscover parts of themselves they thought were lost. I’ve seen survivors who were once filled with frustration and despair find joy and calm as they put paint to canvas. I’ve witnessed tears turn into smiles as someone who felt invisible begins to feel seen, heard, and understood.
Art therapy fosters a sense of community and reduces isolation. Survivors create side by side in a supportive environment of understanding that reminds them they are not alone in this journey. People form strong bonds with one another, which is often even more vital to their healing than the art itself.
What’s truly remarkable is seeing someone rediscover parts of themselves they thought were gone – their confidence, their ability to connect with others, and their sense of self-worth. Some of the most touching moments I’ve witnessed is when survivors share their artwork with their families and the community through our art shows. The pride that comes from seeing others understand their emotions through art is indescribable. It fosters connection, empathy, and healing in ways that other therapies cannot.
Your generosity helps fund this life-enhancing program as well as the 12 other rehabilitative and supportive services offered at Schurig Center. This unique array of brain injury services is not available anywhere else in our area and they rely on community support. Over 80% of the revenue needed to offer Schurig Center’s programs is provided by foundations and individual donors like you. You are truly at the heart of the healing that happens at Schurig Center.
If you are in a position to help, I hope you’ll join me in improving lives and choose to donate to Schurig Center today. I can assure you that gifts of all size will help improve lives.
Please know your donation is not just about funding programs. Your gift gives someone a chance to heal in ways that traditional therapies sometimes cannot. Because of you, brain injury survivors have the chance to engage in supportive programs that help them begin to rebuild their lives – piece by piece. You are a part of their journey. The impact of your generosity ripples through their entire recovery, helping them regain their confidence, autonomy, and sense of self.
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.
Sincerely,
Midge Casler, MA
Art Program Director
I am a Professor of Neurology at the University of California San Francisco and have worked in the neuro-recovery field for 40 years. I am delighted to serve as a volunteer member of Schurig Center’s Board of Directors because their programs play an essential role in helping people heal and fill gaps in the continuum of our health care system.
