This free learning resource humanizes healthcare by combining arts and the humanities with science

1/4 H.E.A.L. Healthcare Project Graphic UNBC

2/4  H.E.A.L. Healthcare Curriculum, ‘Reckoning with Trans Medical Care through Poetry,’ encourages medical practitioners to confront biases and engage in thoughtful listening and writing about gender and poetry to better understand trans experiences. Jack Jen Gieseking

3 / 4 H.E.A.L. Healthcare Curriculum, ‘‘Udustl’us oosdutat’en-i, Beyond Colouring’ moves your heart and mind through the meditative and calming process of working with beautiful images and responding to open-ended prompts.

4 / 4 H.E.A.L. Healthcare Curriculum, ‘Poetry as Medicine’ addresses healthcare provider biases through three literary readings from poet and scholar Shannon Webb-Campbell.Courtesy of the Webb Family

NationTalk: The Hearts-based Education and Anti-colonial Learning in Healthcare (H.E.A.L. Healthcare) project was launched on Aug. 16. This project was a collaboration between The Health Arts Research Centre (HARC) and the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health (NCCIH).

It brought together 30 artists, writers and activists to create arts-based learning materials for healthcare educators, professionals, and practitioners. This resource is not just for healthcare providers or professionals, anyone can access its free lessons that are in the form of storytelling, painting, cooking, poetry and more.

“As an anti-colonial medical educator, I believe there needs to be more tools to combat oppressive practices. Every tool on this website asks for self-reflection and internal focus,” said Sarah De Leeuw, research director of the HARC.

The project tackles biases such as sexism, ageism, ableism and racism so patients’ needs can be better understood when they accessing healthcare services. 

“Everybody has biases, but it’s important to self-reflect on what those biases mean to us and how we came about them. Maybe there’s another world view we can take a look at,” said X’staam Hana’ax (Nicole Halbauer), H.E.A.L. Healthcare project manager.

In total, there are 14 categories of biases and over 30 lessons to choose from. Six more lessons are being added in September. Hana’ax said people can suggest lessons to add through the contact page on the website.

Examples of topics include Indigenous resilience in the Western healthcare system, health inequities and dehumanization experienced by women, and trans medical care.

“The H.E.A.L. Healthcare Project provides systemic change that is long overdue. I think it’s going to really change the face of medicine for all of us and improve health outcomes,” said Hana’ax.