MOSHI Philo-Art Therapeutic Program for Children in Public Hospital

“Everyday we make some impact on the planet. We haven’t inherited this planet from our parents, we borrowed it from our children. If we get together then we can start to heal some of the scars that we have inflicted.” Jane Goodall, Anthropologist.

From December 2019 to October 2022, MOSHI organization facilitated philo-art workshops for children and teenagers in Montreuil Public Hospital, a suburban city near Paris. We received two grants from the Fondation Humanités Digital et Numérique (Fondation de France) to build an innovative therapy based on art making and philosophical discussions to alleviate pain and suffering. Supervised by pediatricians and nurses, our program was a success.

The Problem

Pediatric public hospitals are in need of creative workshops to make children smile while they experience a challenging period in their life. Being hospitalized is a scary moment for children who suffer in their body and mind. Public hospitals only have budgets to buy medical materials and medications. Healthcare workers are overwhelmed by their work, therefore the need for external educators.

The Solution: MOSHI project in a French public hospital

For more than two years in the midst of COVID pandemic, every week, MOSHI organization facilitated free workshops in the pediatric service of Montreuil public hospital. MOSHI received two grants from the Fondation Humanités Digital et Numérique (Fondation de France). Caroline Murgue, Medical Anthropologist who worked in HIV pediatrics, and who founded MOSHI, had this project in mind since she launched the first workshops at Paris Plages event, in the aftermath of Charlie Hebdo Attack, in 2015. After working with thousands of children and teenagers in Paris, Boston and NYC, she felt confident enough to design MOSHI therapy with the help of pediatricians.

Pediatricians needed a new way to manage pain in children, without the use of medication. She was requested to design a program for children who live with sickle cell anemia, the most painful disease. Based on the two pillars of MOSHI pedagogy: philosophical enquiry and art making, her innovative approach of pain management was validated by physicians and psychologists. MOSHI Therapy has two components: a diagnostic method, the MOSHI rainbow, and a creative therapy to reduce physical pain and mental suffering with breathing, play, philosophical discussion and art making (painting, dance, writing).

In December 2019, she volunteered in Montreuil Public Hospital with children and teenagers who live with sickle cell anemia, then the COVID pandemic happened. In May 2020, she managed to get a first grant to run MOSHI workshops in Montreuil Public Hospital. Patients with chronic diseases (sickle cell anemia, diabetes-1) were included in the program. In September 2020, the hospital experienced a worrying increase of suicide attempts and depression among teenagers. The chief of the pediatric service asked her to adapt MOSHI Therapy to mental suffering. In February 2021, based on positive results MOSHI received another grant from the Fondation Humanités Digital et Numérique (Fondation de France).

Two educators were trained to facilitate the workshops.

The Results

The playroom in the hospital, that was unused until we facilitated MOSHI workshops, is now invested by psychotherapists, pedo-psychiatrists, and pediatricians during their consultations. Indeed, children and teenagers who attended MOSHI workshops were allowed to paint the walls to express their ideas and emotions. The paintings on the wall are mediums for healthcare workers to engage on different health topics with their patients. Healthcare workers also use some of the creative artworks made by children who attended MOSHI workshops. For example, a video made by a patient with Diabetes-1 is shown by pediatricians to educate other little patients to live with their chronic disease.

Hundreds of patients were included in MOSHI therapeutic program, with significant improvement of their well-being. The best example: three teenagers who were hospitalized several times for suicide attempts, depression, severe anxiety, managed to overcome their mental suffering. After attending MOSHI workshops, during two or three months, when they came voluntarily every week to the hospital for MOSHI workshop, the teenagers were not hospitalized anymore. They now live a healthy life.

How MOSHI workshops help children in hospital?

• provide psychological safety and improve emotional health with creative philosophy

• alleviate physical pain and mental suffering with art making and dialogue based on active listening

• fulfill each child potential to grow healthy and happy

• teach children to live with their chronic disease with creative tools

Communication ethical consideration

Due to the settings of MOSHI Therapy program: hospital and children, if you want to know more about MOSHI Therapy we can organize a video call to explain in details what was achieved.