STAT

Photos, even selfies, have the power to heal

Photographs that establish an "I-Thou" relationship between the photographer and the subject can have immense healing power.

It is easy to deride “selfies” and the scads of photos that people today often compulsively take and share with their cellphones. But let’s not write them all off as meaningless. As I’ve seen in my parents’ remarkable journey from the doomed Jewish ghetto in Lodz, Poland, and in my psychiatry practice, photographs have immense power to heal.

My parents grew up in Lodz, which then was home to one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe. On Feb. 8, 1940, the Nazis . My father, Abraham Bursztajn, was condemned to be part of a sanitation crew called the

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from STAT

STAT1 min read
USDA Faulted For Disclosing Scant Information About Outbreaks Of H5N1 Avian Flu In Cattle
With 28 herds in eight states infected with H5N1 bird flu, scientists are calling on the U.S. to release more data to help them assess the risk.
STAT2 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About Lilly’s Zepbound For Sleep Apnea, The FDA Budget, And More
Eli Lilly reported positive results for Zepbound in obstructive sleep apnea, giving the medication a new edge in the highly competitive obesity market.
STAT2 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About A J&J Cough Syrup, A Pfizer And Moderna Patent Suit, And More
A Johnson & Johnson children’s cough syrup found to contain unsafe levels of a toxic industrial solvent was sold in six African countries.

Related Books & Audiobooks