Healthcare professionals are often called upon to support patients through some of life's most difficult moments. While clinical knowledge is essential, providing compassionate, trauma-informed care also requires the ability to remain present, self-aware and emotionally regulated.

Those skills were the focus of a recent Nursing Grand Rounds session on July 24, 2026, hosted by the University of Nevada, Reno Orvis School of Nursing and Renown Health. The program brought together nurses, educators and students to explore practical strategies for therapeutic presence through an innovative partnership with the University's Department of Theatre and Dance.

Led by Adi Cabral, chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance in the College of Liberal Arts, the session introduced techniques commonly used by performers to manage stress, regulate emotions and stay grounded under pressure. Participants learned strategies they can apply in clinical settings to strengthen communication, establish healthy boundaries and navigate the emotional demands of patient care.

“The neural mechanisms between imagination and reality overlap so much that they’re often indistinguishable from one another,” Cabral remarked. "Because actors are often tasked with performing traumatic material repetitively over prolonged periods of time, strategies for emotional resilience and creating boundaries between the real and the imagined are vital. Having taught these techniques to actors and public defenders, it’s an honor to provide this training to the nursing community.”

The session demonstrated how expertise from the arts can strengthen healthcare practice. Through interactive activities, Cabral helped create experiential learning opportunities that allowed participants to explore emotional thresholds, self-care and resiliency strategies to improve care in a new way.

“Nursing is both an art and a science,” Dr. Molly Kokenge, associate dean for Strategic Partnerships and Practice at the Orvis School of Nursing, explains.

“While clinical expertise guides patient care, therapeutic presence shapes the human connection at its heart."

“This innovative partnership between Renown Health, the Orvis School of Nursing and the Department of Theatre and Dance demonstrates the future of academic-practice collaboration, bringing together diverse expertise to help nurses strengthen communication, foster meaningful connection and provide compassionate, trauma-informed care for the communities we serve.”

As healthcare continues to evolve, partnerships that bridge disciplines such as nursing and the arts offer new approaches to supporting both patients and providers. This collaboration can lead to innovative solutions that strengthen Nevada's healthcare workforce and improve the patient experience.

The partnership reflects The Wolf Pack Way by bringing together diverse perspectives in service of a common goal: improving the health and well-being of Nevada's communities through innovation, compassion and collaboration.