Creating and supervising expressive arts groups for migrant families on the Mexican border | Intellect Skip to content
1981
Volume 14, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 2040-2457
  • E-ISSN: 2040-2465

Abstract

Voces, a coalition of volunteer expressive arts therapists, created a one-year programme for Central American migrants at a large Mexican shelter on the US border during 2020–21. A team of four psychosocial professionals at the shelter were trained via an online course and weekly self-care and supervision. Two Hispanic members of Voces guided the team in using music, dance, role-play, stories and art to help address the high levels of anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression shown by the evaluations of 900 migrants waiting up to a year for US entry. The Voces members guided shelter professionals to create expressive arts groups for different ages of children and for parents. With scarce materials, online resources like Pixar/Disney shorts and Pinterest posters, culturally relevant music and cartoons were used to address emotional regulation, conflict resolution, attachment and self-concept.

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2023-06-22
2024-04-20
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  • Article Type: Article
Keyword(s): arts-based therapies; asylum seekers; children; groups; guidance; self-care
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