Therapeutic Computational Creativity is an emerging domain that offers exciting opportunities for wellness and mental health. A central aim of mental health therapy is to enable people to be aware of and integrate their emotions into a positive framework. The promise of Therapeutic Computational Creativity rests on the capability of CC systems to engage individuals in creative artistic processes, which are known to facilitate the recognition and integration of challenging emotions into a more positive psychological state.
Art and music therapy have repeatedly been demonstrated to offer therapeutic value through the creative process. Positive, provable therapeutic benefits have been reported for a wide range of conditions including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and bereavement. Therapeutic Computational Creativity may be able to offer similar benefits in scalable form.
The tutorial will take place online, as part of the International Conference on Computational Creativity, on September 14-18, 2021.
Program Description
The program will begin with a brief introduction to Therapeutic Computational Creativity, including findings in this emerging field. The participants will then have a chance to engage with several computational creativity systems from a therapeutic lens, as well as AI systems designed for therapeutic purposes. Both individual and group activities will be included, utilizing systems in poetry, music, visual art, and therapeutic chatbots.
Participants will subsequently be invited to share their experiences interacting with the systems and discuss opportunities and new directions in Therapeutic Computational Creativity.
The attendees need access to the web. Access to a desktop and mobile device is recommended. No prior knowledge or experience is needed.
Schedule
12:00-14:30 Mexico City time, 17:00-19:30 UTC. The event will take place on Underline: https://underline.io/events/178/reception
Organizers
- Maya Ackerman (Santa Clara University, California)
- Galen Buckwalter (PsyML, California)
To contact the organizers please send an email to mackerman@scu.edu.
