Inspiring Beauty from Darkness
The Hold On Campaign educates on suicide prevention and supports individuals struggling with suicidal thoughts by using the power of art, compassion, and mental health skills to connect, express and heal.
Services include inspiring presentations, arts & healing workshops, as well as visual art, song, and film creations on behalf of suicide prevention.
Art steps in as a powerful medium for self expression.
We believe art provides a unique avenue for healing and understanding. When words fall short, art expresses the depth of emotions by individuals struggling with despair, depression, and devastating loss. Through visual art, music, poetry, and other creative outlets, individuals can give shape to their pain, fears, and hopes, creating tangible representations of their inner world. By sharing these artistic creations, individuals aim to offer glimpses into their lived experiences, helping others grasp the profound impact of suicidal thoughts on mental and emotional well-being.
When words fall short, art expresses the depth of emotions experienced by individuals struggling.
"Dr. Diane Kaufman's lecture, "Inspiring Beauty from Darkness: Creativity & The Art of Suicide Prevention," was nothing short of enlightening and compassionate. Through her insightful discourse, Dr. Kaufman skillfully illuminated the shadows surrounding suicide, providing a beacon of understanding and empathy. By delving into the intricate connection between creativity and suicide prevention, she not only shed light on the warning signs but also unveiled the profound pain that individuals grappling with suicidal thoughts endure. Her presentation was a powerful reminder that fostering creativity and compassion can be instrumental in creating a supportive environment for those in need, ultimately offering hope and healing.”
Travis Smith, DO
Associate Dean of Clinical Assessment and Integration
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Meet the Founder
Diane Kaufman, MD is a poet, artist, child psychiatrist, and humanism in medicine awardee whose poetry and co-creative songs, stories, and animations, created on behalf of mental health well-being, and suicide prevention have garnered international acclaim. She understands mental health distress from both personal and professional perspectives. Dr. Kaufman is a suicide attempt and suicide loss survivor and has Bipolar II Disorder.
Watch her Creativity & Suicide Prevention: A Healing Journey presentation at the UK Suicide Prevention Summit.
Read Dr. Diane's Indie Cinema Magazine Interview
Read Dr. Diane’s love letter to the world.
See Dr. Diane’s Link Tree
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Founder
In 2019 Dr. Kaufman received the Downstate Medical Center Alumni Association's Dr. Frank L. Babbott Award for distinguished service to both the medical profession and the general community. She is founder-director of the Arts & Healing Resiliency Center at Mind Matters. PC in Hillsboro, Oregon.
Amazingly, Dr. Kaufman's healing from trauma story, "Bird That Wants to Fly," which she wrote for her own healing at a Therapeutic Arts Alliance of Manhattan workshop, inspired an opera composed by Michael Raphael, performed by Trilogy: An Opera Company, and narrated by the actor, Danny Glover.
Dr. Kaufman has always sought to combine the creative with the medical. Her passion, dedication, and skill is inspiring transformation of trauma, despair, and depression into life affirming creativity. Learn more here.
Dr. Kaufman's range of clinical experience and endeavors include outpatient psychiatrist (at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark, NJ now Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Morrison Child and Family Services in Portland, OR, and Mind Matters, PC in Hillsboro, OR), Medical Director of Preschool Services and the Crisis Mobile Outreach Program, as well as receiving grants in support of child abuse prevention, mental health service collaboration, and arts & healing activities during her 28 years at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.