A Single-Session Wellness Initiative for Black College Women: Integrating Expressive Arts, Spirituality, and Political Resistance

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how four Black women undergraduate students experienced a single-session wellness initiative that integrated expressive arts, spirituality, and political resistance. After participating in the group wellness session, the researchers conducted individual interviews with each participant to understand their interpretation of their paintings and their perceptions of the expressive arts group. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, and data were analyzed using a structured coding process. Three themes emerged from the cross-case analysis of the semi-structured interviews: (1) Black Women Connecting, (2) Appreciation for the Session Topic, and (3) Systemic Efforts to Promote Black Women’s Wellness. Conducting this study with undergraduate Black women from a predominantly white institution (PWI) yields recommendations for providing culturally responsive wellness programming at university counseling centers.