Art Therapist offers free classes for health care workers

NEW BERN, N.C. (WITN) - The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on all of us in one way or another, but for health care workers on the front lines fighting this virus the past year has been more than difficult. That’s why a local Art Therapist held several free classes for staff at CarolinaEast Medical Center in New Bern on Friday.

Zulay Romero is a Registered Art Therapist, and last year her whole family contracted the coronavirus. While they were recovering Romero says she thought about how tough this pandemic must be on health care workers.

“My family and I had COVID last year and it was very difficult, my parents used to be chaplains here before COVID, so they were still getting mail and one day in the mail, they announced hey we’re struggling, we need prayers, we need support and immediately I was like I have to do something,” said Romero.

Romero teamed up with the hospital to offer three free Art Therapy classes to staff with a focus on creating collages centered around how they are feeling right now. “Art Therapy allows that exploration of how I’m feeling, when I’m feeling it and how I’m feeling it.” “I’m offering the collage intervention so that way it’s less intrusive and it’s not like perfection is needed cause it’s collage,” said Romero.

For Jennifer Lewis who is the Laboratory Director at the hospital, this class was the perfect escape from what’s been a trying 10 months. “You can just come take part in it, get your mind off of what we’re doing back in the office and in the laboratory,” explained Lewis.

For everyone else struggling right now, Romero says making a collage about your feelings is something everyone can do, and taking time to cut out pictures and words that describe how you’re feeling can help you take the weight of the mental and emotional toll this pandemic is having off of your shoulders.

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