Heather McKelvey, RHIA
My name is Heather McKelvey, and I am both the Principal Investigator on this study as well as the course instructor for the study participants. I am a fourth year medical student at University of Alabama Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine, where I will graduate in May 2025. Family Medicine is my specialty of choice, and I plan to obtain additional training in behavioral health.
When I am not studying medicine or caring for patients, you are likely to find me writing calligraphy or teaching others through private instruction or workshops. Calligraphy is a tool that I use in my own life to reduce stress and anxiety symptoms, and I often hear other calligraphers around the world share similar stories of the utility of calligraphy practice for the betterment of their mental health.
After hearing testimonies from many of my calligraphy students about the impact that art and calligraphy had on their perceived mental health throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and afterward, I became interested in studying the connection from a scientific basis. Calligraphy is a skill that is simple to learn and requires very few tools. The possibility of using a pencil and paper to write beautiful words as a therapeutic intervention for mental health is both exciting and worth examining.
In addition to memberships in medical societies, I am a member of the International Association of Master Penman, Engrossers and Teachers of Handwriting (IAMPETH), and I am the Website Chair on the Board of Directors for the Birmingham Calligraphy Guild. Both of these organizations aim to advance the knowledge and skill of calligraphy and handwriting.
