Dana Overman RN, MS, MPH
"Some roads are quiet prayers wrapped in sky and silence — reminders that healing doesn’t always need a destination, only the courage to keep traveling inward."
Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota by Dana Overman
Artist Dana Overman
The Beauty Within ~ acrylic on canvas
Welcome — I’m so glad you’re here. This space was created to honor the powerful connection between art and science, and how together, they can support healing in body, mind, and spirit. As both a fine artist and a healthcare professional, I’ve witnessed how creativity and clinical wisdom are not opposites — they are partners in whole-person wellness. Here, you’ll find a collection of offerings that reflect this integration: visual art that explores resilience and fragility, poetry that speaks to the heart, guided meditations and breathwork for nervous system regulation, and evidence-based tools to support your physical and emotional well-being. Whether you’re here to pause, reset, reflect, or begin again — may this be a space where you reconnect with yourself and rediscover the beauty of healing as both science and soul. You will find a variety of avenues for your health and wellness in the “Foundational Practices” tab.
“The greatest scientists are the artists as well”
The idea that science and art are not only connected, but deeply intertwined in ways that transcend our current understanding, is not new. For centuries, artists have known what science is only now beginning to confirm: that music, visual art, and poetry hold the power to move us, heal us, and shift us into deeper states of awareness. These expressions can quiet the mind, awaken the brain, soothe the heart, and help the body reset. This is the science of art and wellness.
As an artist, public health professional, community development ally, meditation teacher, and registered nurse, I’ve created this space to bring together what has too often been seen as separate. Here, the intuitive wisdom of art meets the evidence-based clarity of science — a space where healing is both expressive and grounded.
You’ll find tools and practices designed to support your well-being: read poetry, view art, listen to guided meditations and music, or explore breath work techniques to bring calm to stressful moments.
I warmly invite you to explore this space fully and return as often as you need. Foundatoinal Discover what resonates, and stay curious about what feels new. These offerings are here to help you integrate the power of art and wellness into your everyday life — to find calm, restore balance, and remember that healing can be both beautiful and biologically real.
Integration of art + science = improved wellness
Visual Arts
Visual arts are a powerful conduit for wellness, offering a unique way to process emotions, regulate the nervous system, and reconnect with the present moment. Engaging with art — whether through creating or observing — activates the brain’s reward and relaxation centers, reducing stress hormones while enhancing focus, mood, and resilience. For many, visual expression becomes a language beyond words, allowing deep emotional truths to surface and integrate gently. In wellness settings, art isn’t just decorative — it’s therapeutic, grounding, and transformative. It invites us to slow down, to feel, and to heal from the inside out.
Music
Music has a profound impact on our well-being, influencing brain chemistry, emotional balance, and even physical health. The rhythm and melody of music can regulate heart rate, lower blood pressure, and calm the stress response by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. On a deeper level, music connects us to memory, emotion, and meaning — often expressing what words cannot. Whether used to energize, soothe, grieve, or celebrate, music becomes a bridge between the mind and body, helping us access presence, release tension, and restore a sense of inner harmony. In wellness, music isn’t just background — it’s medicine.
Guided Meditation & Breath Work
Guided meditation and breath work are powerful tools for cultivating inner calm, emotional clarity, and physiological balance. By intentionally focusing the mind and regulating the breath, these practices help shift the body from a state of stress and reactivity into one of rest, repair, and presence. Guided meditation offers structure and support, making it easier to access stillness and let go of mental chatter. Breath work, in turn, activates the vagus nerve and oxygenates the body, enhancing energy, mood, and resilience. Together, they create a pathway to nervous system regulation, improved focus, and a deeper connection to self — foundational elements of lasting wellness.
Follow on social
You can use my Instagram page as a daily touchpoint for inspiration, calm, and connection. It offers short, accessible versions of the tools and teachings found on my website — including guided meditation excerpts, affirmations, breathing techniques, art, and poetry. Follow along for gentle reminders to pause, reset, and reconnect with your body, creativity, and inner calm — one breath, one post at a time.
Visit my Pinterest account to explore a curated collection of moving and beautiful images paired with affirmations designed to uplift, ground, and inspire. These visuals reflect the essence of art and wellness — blending color, emotion, and intention. Whether you’re seeking a moment of peace, a spark of motivation, or a gentle reminder of your worth, you’ll find images that speak to both the heart and the nervous system. Save and return to them anytime you need a visual breath of calm.
Scroll with intention, don't lose your peace
〰️
Scroll with intention, don't lose your peace 〰️
In a world where connection is always a swipe away, it’s easy to forget that our nervous systems weren’t designed to process so much — so fast, so often, and so intimately. Social media can be a beautiful space for creativity, inspiration, and community, but without intention, it can quickly become a place of silent self-comparison, emotional overstimulation, and sleep disruption.
One scroll too many can blur the line between engaging and escaping. Even when what we consume is positive, the endless stream of images and information can quietly drain us — leaving us more anxious, distracted, or unsettled than we realize.
Comparison is especially sneaky. What starts as “just checking in” can shift into measuring our worth against carefully curated lives. But someone else's highlight reel is never the full story — and your value can never be defined by an algorithm.
To protect your well-being, it's helpful to set boundaries with your screen. Dim the brightness on your phone in the evening, or use "night shift" mode to reduce blue light exposure. The artificial light from screens mimics daylight and suppresses melatonin, the hormone your brain needs to prepare for deep, restorative sleep. Research shows that using devices too close to bedtime can delay sleep onset and decrease sleep quality — even if you're tired.
A good rule of thumb? Try powering down devices at least 60 minutes before bed. Let your body and mind transition to rest without the glow of stimulation. Replace the scroll with something soft: a warm drink, a poem, a breath practice, or gentle silence.
And in the morning — resist the urge to reach for your phone right away. Going straight to your screen trains the brain to enter reaction mode before reflection. You haven’t even heard your own thoughts yet — and already the outside world is shaping your mood. Give yourself a few sacred moments to just be before plugging in.
Social media is a tool — not a truth. When used with care, it can uplift and inspire. But your deepest peace will never come from a feed. It comes from presence, stillness, and remembering that you are already enough, even when you’re offline.
Share your story
I warmly invite you to share your story with me — your reflections, your healing journey, or the ways art and wellness have touched your life — because your voice matters here.