Social Prescribing Lab- Build a Creative Toolbox for Social Engagement
by Sherri Jacobs at Heartland Art Therapy
Feeling a bit rusty with your social skills? This workshop will offer eight creative techniques to
enhance social skills and reduce social distress for our complex era. The need for connections is
greater than ever, yet social anxiety often keeps us from venturing out of our home. This
interactive workshop will introduce participants to useful skills like breathing, listening skills,
eye contact, and creative hacks to add to your toolbox.
This group is part of a social prescription pilot program designed by Sherri Jacobs. Social
prescribing is a public health initiative that cultivates social engagement through actual
prescriptions written by health providers to address social isolation and loneliness.
Prescriptions connect people to activities that reflect their interests through arts, movement,
volunteering, or nature engagement. This model has been implemented in 30 countries and is
very new in the United States.
“What is the matter with you?” is the common question asked to patients by health
practitioners. Health providers who engage in social prescribing also ask the question, “What
matters to you?” Patients’ responses determine the type of social prescription they receive.
This session is part of a series of groups designed for group participation with a goal of finding
connection in shared interests, creative activity, and social engagement. This is part of a pilot
model designed to be replicated in community centers. This pilot also offers measurement tools
for tracking the success of the program and the small pilot designed by Sherri Jacobs. Kansas
City is participating in a five year pilot in partnership with The Neuro Blueprint for the Arts and