Title : Poetry therapy: A public health approach to mental well-being
Abstract:
Poetry therapy (PT) is emerging as a scalable, low-cost, and non-stigmatizing public health intervention to address mental health disparities, addiction recovery, and community resilience, especially in underserved populations. Traditional psychiatric models often pose prohibitive costs and structural barriers, which exacerbate inequalities. PT offers a community-centered alternative that expands healthcare access and promotes resilience through arts-based modalities. This study synthesizes existing research and a 12-year longitudinal dataset from a Northeast Florida non-profit that utilizes arts-based interventions with underserved youth. The data evaluates PT’s impact on mental health, addiction, and resilience, which assesses an individual’s receptive, expressive, and symbolic therapeutic modalities. Findings reveal that PT effectively reduces hopelessness and anxiety, while also mitigating broader public health issues such as school dropout, unemployment, incarceration, and addiction. Over the 12-year period, participants showed sustained improvements in emotional awareness, stress reduction, resilience, and adaptive coping skills. These outcomes directly support public health goals like preventing recidivism, reducing addiction relapse, and supporting long-term recovery.
