The Body Keeps Score: Self Care at Fordham

As writers and thinkers, it is important to take care of our physical and mental health. There is a stereotype of writers and artists living on the edge and some harbor the dangerous belief that these harmful behaviors are what make artists great. Not only is this dangerous thinking, but it also fails to consider that self-neglect is what prevents these artists from producing their best work and being their most creative selves. Prompted by a presentation in Professor Sarah Gambito’s Writer’s Workshop, I expressed gratitude for Dr. van der Kolk’s wonderful book, The Body Keeps the Score, and how it explains chronic stress and trauma’s physical effects on the brain and body. To complement my presentation, I researched accessible resources to assist with mental and physical wellbeing to share with my classmates, while living as students at Fordham in NYC. Not only is stress-management especially helpful during finals’ season, but it is also crucial for fostering creative minds and lives well-lived. Below is a comprehensive list of wonderful works, resources, institutions, and activities that may be useful for maintaining a healthy body and mind during finals and year-round.

~ Anne Marie Ward, FCRH 2019