Ms Shyamala Narayanaswamy

About

Poetic medicine was my “new thing to learn this year” in 2024, and the confluence of several marvellous coincidences guided me toward poetry circles. Having grown up with a relatively strict diet regarding the literary rules of what maketh a poem, it was very refreshing to learn how forgiving and encompassing the medium of poetic expression can be, and how poetry could be a tool for wellness and self-reflection.

As a hospital pharmacist who currently also helms staff protection and staff engagement & wellness efforts, I increasingly found myself craving creative pursuits and connection to fill my own heart. When strategising interventions for my division, my team offers curated events and empathetic focus groups to fellow drug dealers as we all struggle with balance. Among our offerings so far have been film, painting, drawing, and mindfulness – we encourage each colleague to choose what works for them and fills their heart.

I am a trained facilitator in using Poetry as a Tool for Wellness (by the Institute of Poetic Medicine, USA), and have run a series of 8 sessions of poetry circles in May-June 2025.

“To thine own self be true.” – William Shakespeare, Hamlet (1603).

Session

Topic: Poetry Pharmacy As A Tool For Wellness
Date: 18 October, Saturday | Time: 16:00 - 17:30 | Venue: Academia Room L1-S3