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July 23, 2018

The EDI Institute’s partnership with Eli Lilly and Company continues to grow, with exciting new work spreading to cancer centers across the country.

June 5, 2018

The EDI Institute is excited to share our new partnership with Eli Lilly and Company at cancer centers across the country.

May 2, 2018

Stress and burnout among providers has become a major issue in hospitals, as the pressures of today’s healthcare environment often become barriers to the delivery of high quality care.

April 16, 2018

A young woman being treated for addiction created this image to convey her emotions to her clinician.

April 2, 2018

EDI is being integrated into healthcare organizations across the country to facilitate provider communication.

March 19, 2018

Clinicians at McLean Hospital have integrated EDI into therapeutic programs for patients with mental illness.

March 5, 2018

A member of the leadership team from Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven Health created this image during an EDI workshop around the theme of “I do what I do because…”.

February 20, 2018

This image allowed an addiction patient to share her feelings in ways that would not have been possible through words alone.

February 5, 2018

Healthcare provider burnout and job dissatisfaction has become a major issue for hospitals nationally. EDI is now being integrated into programs designed to enhance connection and coordination among doctors, nurses, and other professionals.

January 22, 2018

Those with mental illness often have difficulty expressing the thoughts and emotions they experience. This image was created by an individual with bipolar disorder, helping his clinical team provide the best treatment possible.

December 18, 2017

Individuals with substance use disorders often have difficulty conveying what they are experiencing and feeling.

December 4, 2017

In addition to therapeutic applications, EDI is increasingly being integrated by healthcare and other non-profit organizations into internal team building initiatives.

November 19, 2017

EDI is frequently used in therapeutic groups for shared expression of common experiences, allowing for validation and support beyond what is often possible through words.

November 6, 2017

At the Gosnold addiction treatment center, participants use EDI to express aspects of their illness that are often difficult to convey through words alone.

September 25, 2017

McLean Hospital, the country’s top-ranked psychiatric hospital, has integrated EDI into multiple therapeutic programs to help patients express themselves in ways often not possible through spoken words.

September 11, 2017

This image is a powerful statement of resilience and determination from a woman in recovery at the Gosnold addiction treatment center.

September 5, 2017

This image was created by a woman following her active treatment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

August 28, 2017

This image was created by a young man as part of his treatment in the Bipolar and Psychotic Disorder program at McLean Hospital.

August 21, 2017

EDI is frequently used by people to convey emotional aspects of recovery from a variety of illnesses, including depression, cancer, heart disease, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

August 14, 2017

In 2015, Lara Sobel, a social worker with the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF), was shot by a woman allegedly upset about losing custody of her child. Last week, on the 2-year anniversary of Lara’s death, DCF staff from across Vermont used EDI in a powerful way to help honor and remember her life and work.

August 7, 2017

At Aspire, part of the Massachusetts General Hospital, clinicians have integrated EDI into leading programs for children and teens with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

July 31, 2017

At the Yale New Haven Hospital, patients have begun using EDI in support of their cardiac rehabilitation programs. The lack of psychosocial support has been identified as a contributor of low patient adherence levels, and Yale and the EDI Institute are jointly researching the use of EDI to improve health outcomes for cardiac patients.

July 24, 2017

EDI is frequently used by participants to express personal stories of recovery. This image, which began as a simple photograph of the steps outside the Gosnold addiction treatment center, allowed one patient to convey and share her journey in a way she found meaningful and inspiring.

July 17, 2017

This moving image was created by a patient during a lung cancer support group at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Using the MyMoments app, she drew a question mark emerging from the center of a storm cloud.

July 10, 2017

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is one of the nation’s premier organizations providing support services to adults in recovery from mental illness. In NAMI’s signature Peer-to-Peer program, participants use EDI in groups to express common experiences and feelings.

June 26, 2017

This image was created by a 20-year-old man being treated at McLean Hospital for bipolar disorder. The patient was excited to share his image with his treatment team, leading to increased connection with his clinicians and the opportunity for more effective therapeutic care.

June 19, 2017

EDI allows individuals to transform ordinary photographs into expressive images conveying personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Often, this depth of expression is not possible through words alone. EDI provides a creative outlet without the need for any artistic skills or training.

June 12, 2017

In partnership with the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, the EDI Institute recently announced our latest initiative, Tell Me More®, at the Cleveland Clinic Patient Experience Summit.

June 5, 2017

EDI is frequently used by people who have experienced trauma to share experiences and feelings they find difficult to convey through words alone.

May 30, 2017

A group of 60 child welfare professionals from across New England recently held their annual meeting focused on the theme: “Finding our way through this work in the face of constant change.”

May 22, 2017

Individuals often use EDI to share deeply personal aspects of their lives that are difficult to express through words alone.

May 15, 2017

Residents at Gosnold addiction treatment programs use EDI during therapy, often creating personal narratives shared among their community of peers and counselors.

May 8, 2017

Individuals being treated for mental illness often create and share EDI imagery as therapeutic expressions of their own recovery journeys.

May 1, 2017

This image was created by a patient at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to powerfully convey aspects of his personal journey. In his words:

April 24, 2017

This image was created by a 9-year-old boy at Jeff’s Place, a leading bereavement support organization for children and families.

April 17, 2017

This image was created by a McLean Hospital patient recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It addresses a prevalent misconception that leads to mental health stigma.

April 10, 2017

Clinicians at the Massachusetts General Hospital Aspire program have integrated EDI into existing therapies for kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

April 3, 2017

While much of the EDI Institute’s initial focus has been on behavioral health, EDI can also be part of treatment for individuals facing chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart disease.

March 27, 2017

Patients at Spaulding Hospital’s Dean Center for Tick Borne Illness are using EDI to convey the often debilitating effects they experience from Lyme disease. These individuals share their images to build awareness and receive validation for a disease that is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood.

March 20, 2017

This moving image was created by Robin, a woman in recovery at a residential addiction treatment program at Gosnold on Cape Cod.

March 13, 2017

This image was created by a woman who serves as a Survivor Mentor at My Life My Choice, a renowned organization supporting youth who are survivors of sexual exploitation and commercial sex trafficking.

February 27, 2017

This image was created by a young woman being treated in a psychiatric inpatient unit at McLean Hospital.

February 21, 2017

This image, created by a woman in recovery from addiction, expresses feelings of loneliness and isolation that participants often find difficult to convey through language.

February 13, 2017

A group of nurses at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute recently held an Integrative Nursing retreat focused on their roles as healing caregivers.

February 6, 2017

During a walk on the beach, a U.S. Veteran spontaneously created these images to express deeply moving feelings related to his challenges with bipolar disorder.

January 30, 2017

Sadie Rose is a 14-year-old girl who has suffered from a condition causing severe pain her entire life, at times unable to yawn, stretch, laugh, sneeze, or walk. She describes herself as often “paralyzed with pain.”

January 23, 2017

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have extreme difficulty expressing themselves through words. At the Massachusetts General Hospital Aspire program, EDI is enabling children with ASD to convey their feelings in an innovative way, helping enhance the effectiveness of existing behavioral therapies.

January 16, 2017

At the Child Psychiatry Program at North Shore Medical Center, clinicians are using EDI to enhance engagement and treatment during therapeutic groups.

January 9, 2017

A young woman being treated at McLean Hospital found this image to be a powerful way of expressing very personal aspects of her illness.

January 3, 2017

“Love and Pain” was created and shared by a young man being treated at McLean Hospital who had recently experienced his first psychotic episode. In the words of the McLean clinical director, “This individual did a remarkable job describing the conflict of still seeing his healthy self, but now covered by the pain of such intrusive symptoms.”

December 29, 2016

EDI is frequently used by participants to create visual journals portraying their recoveries from mental illness, addiction, trauma, and other life challenges. Patients and clinicians find that these journals enhance the therapeutic process, and scientific research is underway at the EDI Institute to validate outcomes.

December 19, 2016

Emerson House at Gosnold is an esteemed long-term treatment facility, offering a welcoming and safe community for women in active recovery from addiction. EDI has been integrated into Emerson House programs, providing residents opportunities to express complex feelings, thoughts, and experiences that are often inaccessible through words alone.

December 13, 2016

At Aspire, part of the MassGeneral Hospital for Children, clinicians developed an innovative approach for integrating EDI into therapeutic programs for kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

November 17, 2016

EDI is being increasingly integrated by leading clinical programs into evidence-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). In these situations, EDI enhances proven therapeutic approaches by allowing the expression of complex thoughts, feelings, and experiences that are often inaccessible through words.

November 7, 2016

Expressive Digital Imagery® (EDI) is being integrated into a variety of bereavement support programs for children and their families.

October 17, 2016

This image was created by a Veteran at the VA Hospital in Brockton to express the trauma he experienced as a child at the hands of his father.

October 11, 2016

Patients in the Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Inpatient Program at McLean Hospital are using EDI in therapeutic groups to express feelings and experiences in new ways.

October 3, 2016

This summer, EDI was integrated into Manitou Experience, a weeklong overnight camp for boys 8-16 who have experienced the death of a family member. Manitou Experience is a special program helping build confidence, encourage laughter, and allow the navigation of grief through friendship, teamwork, athletics, and the common bond of loss.

September 12, 2016

The MyMoments.Mobile app is an innovative new technique for the creation of expressive imagery on mobile devices. This video demonstrates the power and ease of MyMoments.Mobile.

August 21, 2016

At the Massachusetts General Hospital ASPIRE summer camp, a day program for children with autism spectrum disorder, campers are using EDI to express feelings and experiences. One activity involves campers all beginning with the same original photograph, and creating personal images reflecting their moods at a moment in time.

August 1, 2016

The nationally esteemed OCD Institute at McLean Hospital (OCDI) has integrated EDI into its residential therapeutic programs for obsessive compulsive disorder, and has initiated groundbreaking clinical research to quantify results. OCDI patients use EDI daily as part of evidence-based therapies focused on the development of coping skills, and the creation of motivation and relapse prevention strategies.

July 12, 2016

Individuals frequently use EDI on an ongoing basis, extending beyond the programs where they initially experience EDI. Critt was introduced to EDI through the NAMI Peer-to-Peer program, and he now creates imagery each day in support of his ongoing recovery.

July 5, 2016

Expressive Digital Imagery® (EDI) often enables deeper levels of self-expression than can be achieved through words alone. This frequently happens through the sharing of personal stories. EDI participants express meaningful aspects of their lives using images that reflect journeys and future aspirations.

June 16, 2016

Recently, EDI was featured in McLean Hospital’s 2015 Year in Review. Susan Camuti, a McLean patient who has used EDI extensively, explains how EDI has helped her to express aspects of her bipolar disorder in ways that go beyond what is possible through the spoken word.

June 3, 2016

Ariana is a survivor of human trafficking who now works to support and empower exploited youth at My Life My Choice. She created this image during a workshop for staff members. With this single image, Ariana tells a powerful story of her past, present, and future.

May 10, 2016

An important aspect of Expressive Digital Imagery® (EDI) is its ability to support recovery after discharge from clinical programs. Participants frequently use EDI to create images expressing personalized coping strategies.

May 4, 2016

Expressive Digital Imagery® (EDI) often helps extend treatment beyond clinical settings, supporting recovery for individuals out in the community. A common theme is the use of EDI to express “warning signs” – imagery serving as active reminders that help improve recovery and resilience.

April 25, 2015

Expressive Digital Imagery (EDI) often serves as a powerful connector between people. EDI images can convey thoughts and feelings that were previously inaccessible through words, and in the process create connections that help promote resilience and recovery.

April 18, 2016

Gosnold on Cape Cod is a nationally recognized addiction and mental health treatment provider, and a leader in the integration of Expressive Digital Imagery (EDI). Gosnold focuses on the full continuum of care – including education and prevention, treatment, and ongoing recovery management.

April 11, 2016

Recently, the EDI Institute had an opportunity to collaborate with My Life My Choice, an organization whose mission is to prevent the commercial sexual exploitation of adolescents through survivor-led programs.

April 4, 2015

Recently we had a special opportunity to introduce Expressive Digital Imagery (EDI) to a group of children and teens at Jeff’s Place, a wonderful organization providing free support groups, education, and crisis intervention to grieving children, adolescents and their families.

March 21, 2016

Expressive Digital Imagery® (EDI) is now being used across a wide variety of clinical and community settings, cutting across ages, cultural backgrounds, levels of cognitive ability, and amount of technical and artistic experience.

March 14, 2016

Expressive Digital Imagery® (EDI) is being used in healthcare settings not only with patients, but also by the clinicians who care for them.

March 7, 2016

An important aspect of Expressive Digital Imagery® (EDI) is its accessibility. EDI allows participants to create images anywhere and anytime, since there are multiple options for starting photographs.

February 29, 2016

We recently announced a partnership with Gosnold on Cape Cod to improve treatment outcomes for people challenged with addiction. Gosnold is integrating EDI throughout its therapeutic programs including with individual patients, small groups, and larger community settings.

February 23, 2016

With Expressive Digital Imagery® (EDI) we never speak about “photography.” Why? Because EDI is all about personal expression, and has nothing to do with the photographic skills of those who use it.

February 16, 2016

The benefits of Expressive Digital Imagery® (EDI) extend beyond the clinical and community settings where people first create and share their imagery. Participants in EDI programs are now using image-based recovery plans in support of their ongoing recoveries.

February 2, 2016

Expressive Digital Imagery® (EDI) allows people to tell their stories in meaningful ways that often go beyond what is possible through spoken words alone.

January 25, 2016

​Last week we announced a strategic partnership with the Massachusetts chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

January 18, 2016

Discovery Pilots are 90-minute customized pilots that enable staff and participants to experience EDI first-hand in the context of an actual workshop organized around a relevant theme.

January 12, 2016

An example of how EDI enables people to create highly expressive images without the need for any particular artistic training, skills, or supplies.

January 5, 2016

Our TEDx Talk on Expressive Digital Imagery® (EDI) has just been published by TEDxBeaconStreet, bringing to life two important benefits of EDI.

December 22, 2015

McLean Hospital continues to expand the use of EDI® across a wide variety of therapeutic programs, including those designed to treat bipolar disorder, childhood trauma, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and mood-related disorders.

December 15, 2015

Fingerbrush® enables EDI participants to apply digital effects into any part of an image simply by “brushing” them onto the screen with their finger.

December 9, 2015

Prior to Steve Koppel’s November talk on TEDxBeaconStreet 2015, representatives of the EDI Institute engaged with many of the nearly 2,500+ attendees through a hands-on EDI Institute project.

December 9, 2015

In collaboration with McLean Hospital, The EDI Institute moves forward to the next step in the evolution of Expressive Digital Imagery®.

November 15, 2015

EDI is such rich topic, that crafting a 12-minute talk has been far more challenging than I ever imagined. This talk is an opportunity to spread the word about the unlimited possibilities for EDI.