Utah Healing Arts
What is Utah Healing Arts?
Utah Healing Arts is focused on using music, dancing, and art to heal the burdened, broken, and yearning hearts and souls of a generation that is full of heroes and needs serving. Utah Healing Arts brings joy to the lives of those they serve and to those who sacrifice their time to serve.
This program does not require a lot of managing, or even a lot of time for those who volunteer. It provides a great way for Family Home Evening groups to serve or friends to come together and share their gifts and talents.
We provide opportunities to get involved with service in a variety of ways. You can serve by attending our weekly and monthly visits to different facilities where we sing, dance, and perform for residents there. You can also serve online by putting together a list of songs for performers to use, writing poetry for the residents, or creating art for them as well. If you prefer to help facilitate these events and activities we would love to have you join our Utah Healing Arts team and help us serve you!
Join UHA on the last Wednesday of every month at Courtyard at Jamestown Assisted Living in Provo! Meet at Jamestown at 6:30 pm OR meet at Jamba Juice in the Wilk by 6:10 to carpool.
How do I get involved?
If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up here, send an email to uha@byu.edu, or contact the program leaders at the phone numbers listed under 'CONTACT INFO.' We will add you to our regular event email list so you get updates for when we are visiting residents to perform!
If you'd like to volunteer on your own time, we can get you in touch with the different activities directors so that you can go whenever you're able! Just send us an email and put INDIVIDUAL VISITS in the subject so we know how to help.
For other volunteer opportunities such as creating written or artistic pieces, creating song lists, creating programs, etc. Please send us an email and put HELPING HANDS in the subject.
Volunteer Commitment:
You can commit as much or as little with Utah Healing Arts. We want to provide you with as many possibilities to serve so that the minute you decide to serve, you can act. We have formal visits weekly that last about an hour and monthly visits that last for about the same amount of time. Many of our volunteers find that the time flies as you perform for and interact with the different residents! We are happy to serve with you for whatever amount of time you have to offer! :)
I really enjoyed my experience performing for the elderly. It was my first time performing guitar in front of people so I was nervous, but the smiles on everyone's faces was worth it. The seniors were delighted by every act and even requested an encore from some people. They're such wonderful people and serving them has been a great experience. I can't wait to go back to do it again.
There is a great misunderstanding in life when it comes to finding one's own self. The idea that "in order to find yourself, you must lose yourself in the service of others", is hard to understand until you do it. I feel like everything about my life as a college student is focused on me becoming something or someone. I go to class each day to increase the knowledge that I have and to learn how to use it. I do countless hours of homework in order to understand the topics that professors are teaching. I do all of this for myself to learn and grow. But in doing all of this for myself, I still am seeking to find myself. I was able to find myself this last Thursday when I dropped my homework and textbooks and grabbed my accordion. I decided that I would play at a retirement home with Utah Healing Arts. in short terms, I experienced that it was in giving, that I received more than I could have ever asked for. One of my new favorite quotes by President Eyring says, "When you offer succor to anyone, the Savior feels it as if we reached out to succor Him." There is more to life than learning chemistry, biology, philosophy, or geology, that is in learning how to serve and succor others which I found volunteering with Utah Healing Arts.
I started out picking out a program to serve and fulfill my academic requirements. But after attending, everything changed. Seeing the smiles and gratitude on the seniors' faces made my burdens feel suddenly so unimportant. I truly felt like I made my Father in Heaven proud. I loved this semester, being a part of Y-Serve kept me on the path of spiritual progression. I am grateful. Life involves others.
I learned that singing can soften the heart, especially with someone who is suffering mental and emotional trauma.