Cedars-Sinai palliative care physician Erin Reeve, MD, will host a virtual “open mic night” for healthcare professionals who have been working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic so they can share their stories and feelings in creative ways.
The Zoom open mic, taking place on Saturday, Aug. 1, invites any healthcare professional to share a piece of writing, poetry, music or art that reflects on their role during the pandemic.
“This is not about being a stellar performer or artist. It’s about using your voice and being heard, and being witness to each other’s experiences with colleagues across the nation who are likely feeling many similar emotions,” Reeve said.
Anyone can attend the virtual forum, but the microphone will be open only to front line healthcare professionals. This event is hosted by Reimagine, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating conversations about processing loss, life, grief, and healing.
Reeve said she got involved with the organization after meeting the founder at a conference where he played and sang a song he wrote, and told about a friend who had died who had inspired his vision for Reimagine.
“As a musician and palliative care doctor, I connected with using the creative arts to facilitate dialogue about difficult issues like end of life and loss,” said Reeve, who plays the piano and several other instruments.
Reeve said events like this help foster important connections at a time when even a hug at the end of a long day is dangerous.
“The first time I went to a virtual event like this, I was skeptical about how connected I was going to feel to a group of strangers through a screen,” she said. “But there was something powerful that happened in simply being present for each other and finding commonality in our human experience that made the screen become less of a barrier. It lifted me, and for a moment I did feel less isolated.”
To find out more about the event and to RSVP, visit Reimagine’s website here.
Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Handmade Blankets Bring Extra Comfort to Hospice Patients
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