This is our little superstar, Elena and her mom with her painting, Speedy DeeDee Finds a Puppy in the Garden. You can see why I shortened the Encore Design name to Elena’s Garden. Storytelling is an important part of the MnemeTherapy process, especially for those on the autistic spectrum. The power of story-telling is deeply rooted in our brain and its unique structure and function. It can change our brain chemistry, releasing neurochemicals such as oxytocin, which enhances our sense of empathy for others.

Watching a session of MnemeTherapy, you might think you are seeing a very odd art lesson. We sing a song, swinging our arms in time to the music, we do high fives and lap taps and talk about a weird abstract flower arrangement. But at the end of our “games” the MT has identified problems with expressive and receptive aphasia, visual agnosia, short term memory loss and proprioseptive dysfunction, then we address the issue(s) with a paint brush. You can see the documentary about MnemeTherapy HERE

From Noell Hammer

When I started this project, I just tried to reproduce the originals in my own style. I lost the integrity of the original, their strokes, exuberance, even the runs and smears. But by employing the process I use with my photography, I could combine my style, a hybrid abstract impressionism without changing their content to create a design that honors their achievement and personal struggle. Learn more about MnemeTherapy