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Building Leadership and Wellness in School Children through Neuroaesthetics


By Prof. Hermon Carduz Website: www.leaderschoiceart.com


The Challenge: Wellness, Leadership and Rising Concerns

Corporate leaders today invest in developing leadership qualities in their organisations. The same attention, care and design can and must be extended to their children in school. Children face rising stress, anxiety and competition, which threaten their emotional and psychological wellness. These challenges weaken the very qualities that define leadership: resilience, vision, empathy and adaptability.


What the Data Show

  • A recent study titled Trajectory of Suicide among Indian Children and Adolescents found that suicide rates among children and adolescents in India have risen steadily over the last 26 years.

  • The study reported that in 2021, approximately 5,075 males and 5,655 females in the child and adolescent age group died by suicide in India.

  • Another review found that among adolescents aged 14–17 years between 2014 and 2019, the suicide rate ranged between 7.12 to 8.74 per 100,000 population, with higher rates among females.

  • The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2021 report recorded a total of 10,730 adolescents below 18 years of age who died by suicide in India.

  • For students specifically, reports show that over 13,000 students die by suicide every year in India.

  • Academic failure is a major risk factor. In 2022, India recorded 170,924 suicides, of which 7.6 per cent were by students, and 2,248 deaths were due to exam failure.

These numbers are not just statistics; they are a warning. Children who experience emotional stress without safe outlets for expression or reflection are at greater risk. Leadership development in children must therefore begin with emotional resilience, well-being and purpose.


The Innovation: Neuroaesthetics for Wellness and Leadership

Neuroaesthetics offers a powerful way to bridge wellness and leadership. It studies how the brain and body respond to aesthetic experiences, such as art, music, architecture, design and nature, and how those responses influence health, learning and well-being.

As Susan Magsamen, Executive Director of the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University, defines it:

“It is how your brain and body change to aesthetic experience and how those changes can impact health and well-being and learning.”

Why Neuroaesthetics Supports Wellness, Resilience and Leadership

1. Engaging the Brain’s Reward and Empathy Systems

Aesthetic experiences activate brain circuits related to pleasure, empathy and emotional balance. For children, this reduces stress, enhances mood and builds resilience.Practical approach: Curate multisensory experiences using art, sound, texture and movement that stimulate calmness and positive emotion.


2. Encouraging Reflective Awareness through Art

Art creates a safe space for self-expression and reflection. This builds emotional intelligence and adaptability, qualities essential for leadership.Practical approach: Facilitate art sessions that invite children to interpret and express rather than simply imitate.


3. Cultivating Meaning and Connection

Art connects individuals to nature, culture and community. This sense of belonging helps children develop empathy and shared purpose.Practical approach: Integrate biomimic design and neuroaesthetic elements into classrooms and homes to foster harmony and continuity with nature.


4. Stimulating Neuroplasticity and Creative Thinking

Creative activities enhance brain flexibility and cognitive vitality. These abilities strengthen problem-solving and adaptability.Practical approach: Develop art-based workshops that combine neuroscience insights with intuitive creative exercises.


5. Fostering Aesthetic Mindfulness

Aesthetic engagement nurtures focus and appreciation for detail. It develops gratitude and awareness of the present moment, both linked to well-being.Practical approach: Include guided art-viewing or art-making combined with breathing and mindfulness.


6. Creating Neuroaesthetic Environments

Spaces designed with sensory harmony and natural rhythm influence well-being. Curved shapes and organic forms evoke safety and comfort, while harsh lines often induce tension.Practical approach: Introduce Neurocontour Art and natural elements into learning spaces to reduce stress and improve focus.


7. Supporting Collective Flourishing through Shared Aesthetics

Art strengthens social bonds through shared experiences. Collaborative creative work builds empathy, communication and teamwork.Practical approach: Organise exhibitions or group art sessions that promote shared creation and reflection.


Applying Neuroaesthetics to Build Leadership in Children

From Stress to Resilience

By engaging the brain’s reward and emotional regulation systems, neuroaesthetic activities help children manage pressure and stress effectively.


From Marks-Focus to Vision-Focus

Traditional systems reward grades. Neuroaesthetic workshops shift focus to meaning, creativity and self-growth, encouraging children to see beyond competition.


From Isolation to Connection

Art builds empathy and a sense of belonging. Children learn to collaborate and care, forming the foundations of compassionate leadership.


From Fixed to Growth Mindset

Creative exploration encourages adaptability and openness to new ideas, key to innovative leadership.


From Passive to Active Creation

Neuroaesthetic engagement empowers children to become creators rather than followers, building agency, confidence and vision.


Upcoming Workshop – December 2025

The Leaders' Choice Neuroaesthetic Federation of India is organising an online Neuroaesthetic Leadership Development Workshop in December 2025 for school children.


Highlights

  • Interactive sessions guided by neuroaesthetic and creative science principles

  • Activities that enhance resilience, empathy and emotional intelligence

  • A structured approach to building leadership qualities through art, form and experience

  • Practical tools to support wellness, focus and adaptability


How to Register

Visit: www.leaderschoiceart.comRegister online or contact us through the website for details.


Final Thoughts for Corporate Leaders as Parents

Your children are growing in a complex and competitive world. True leadership begins not with ambition but with well-being, empathy and creativity. Neuroaesthetics helps children strengthen their emotional core and expand their vision.

By nurturing wellness through art and science, you prepare your children not just to achieve, but to lead with compassion and clarity.

Let us work together to create a generation of young leaders who can think deeply, feel wisely and act responsibly.


References

Prof. Hermon Carduz

 
 
 

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