Gain an insight into the fascinating world of research with the How Researchers Changed the World podcast. Follow the story of one passionate researcher every episode, unpacking their motivations for the subject, the challenges of the research, and how their research went on to change the world we live in.
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episode 5: Girija Kaimal: How art therapy can reduce stress and support mental health
Girija Kaimal is an art therapist, and currently Assistant Professor at Drexel University. In this episode she discusses her ground-breaking research, which shows that as little as 45 minutes of artistic self-expression can significantly reduce levels of the stress hormone, cortisol.
Specifically, the episode focuses on Girija Kaimal's 2016 research paper: 'Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants' Responses Following Art Making'. The paper investigates how collaging, drawing, or clay modelling can reduce the cortisol levels (a stress hormone) of healthy adults.