Isolation/Independence
Kyle Bernier and his colleague and fellow art therapist, Suzie Newman, investigated options for embedding artistic and interpersonal connection into the process of biofeedback. Biofeedback is a treatment option for individuals living with chronic pain and is aimed at teaching self-regulation. As a treatment option, biofeedback walks the line between isolation and independence for its participants. The words “isolation” and “independence” frequently arise when working with individuals living with chronic headaches, a condition that affects millions of people across the globe. The stigma attached to this invisible disability can lead to self-isolation and/or foster a drive for independence.
As artists, Suzie and Kyle consider ways in which treatment options facilitate both isolation and independence. Their installation for The Art of Connection & The Spaces Between questioned the solitary nature of biofeedback in modern treatment settings and offered a tangible space that mimicked a common experience of individuals who receive treatment for their headaches.