Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 9 hours ago
After returning to the US from a teaching position in Korea, Matthew Chavez set up a table and chairs in the NYC subway and became the "Secret Keeper" for anyone who needed to offload their issues and just talk to someone. In 2016 after the election, Subway Therapy was born when Matt left sticky notes and writing materials in the subway and over 50,000 people subsequently wrote on the notes with everything they were feeling, effectively papering the subway.
Since then, this project has evolved in the world, and Matt says Subway Therapy is "a participatory public artwork, aiming to help people smile, laugh, and feel less stress. It's about peaceful expression and being part of a vibrant and diverse community. For some it's an opportunity to connect and have a conversation. For others it’s a way to listen and empathize. It can be many things, for many different people. Subway Therapy is an ongoing interactive and participatory public work and part of Listening Lab, a 501(c)3 non-profit. Our mission is to use the practice of listening to bring people together. It happens regularly in New York, in various US cities and occasionally around the world."
subwaytherapy.com
https://www.listeninglab.nyc/
artasair.com
After returning to the US from a teaching position in Korea, Matthew Chavez set up a table and chairs in the NYC subway and became the "Secret Keeper" for anyone who needed to offload their issues and just talk to someone. In 2016 after the election, Subway Therapy was born when Matt left sticky notes and writing materials in the subway and over 50,000 people subsequently wrote on the notes with everything they were feeling, effectively papering the subway.
Since then, this project has evolved in the world, and Matt says Subway Therapy is "a participatory public artwork, aiming to help people smile, laugh, and feel less stress. It's about peaceful expression and being part of a vibrant and diverse community. For some it's an opportunity to connect and have a conversation. For others it’s a way to listen and empathize. It can be many things, for many different people. Subway Therapy is an ongoing interactive and participatory public work and part of Listening Lab, a 501(c)3 non-profit. Our mission is to use the practice of listening to bring people together. It happens regularly in New York, in various US cities and occasionally around the world."
subwaytherapy.com
https://www.listeninglab.nyc/
artasair.com
