Art of Recovery: Displacement, Mental Health, and Wellbeing

Abstract

Art of Recovery explores the potential of a participatory arts engagement with place to contribute toward the recovery and reconnection of refugees who experience trauma. The study responded to the international challenge of refugees’ mental health as a global priority as they experience higher prevalence rates of severe mental health disorders in comparison with the general population. The role of participatory arts in contributing toward recovery and reconnection is growing, but policymakers and health professionals are constrained by the lack of research exploring its benefits. We worked with 14 participants in four participatory arts workshops exploring the benefits of artwork focusing on remembered or imagined healing places. A qualitative thematic analysis of the artwork drew on Herman’s theory of recovery identifying “remembrance”, “mourning”, and “reconnection” to assess the elements of potential recovery, including aspects of the participants’ experience of transition between their homeland and the United Kingdom (UK), and new social connections. In conclusion, the study suggests that participating in a group making artworks of places associated with safety may contribute to processes of transition and social connectedness, prompting in turn feelings of wellbeing. The study offers insights into arts and health issues of interest to refugee-supporting communities, health professionals and policymakers.

Lived Experiences of Mental Health Recovery in Persons of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Backgrounds within the Australian Context

“…In the follow up reflective study (McDonough & Colucci, 2021 ) with participants of the Finding our way project, similar sentiments around self-expression and a sense of being heard arose. Additional participatory arts research with refugees and survivors of torture in the UK (Rose et al, 2018 ) utilised Herman’s ( 1992 ) three-stage model of recovery from trauma, which identified safety, remembrance and mourning, and reconnection as key non-linear stages of the recovery process. The researchers observed the creative participatory environment to facilitate connection to a changed identity through empowerment, and the integration of trauma into participants’ autobiographical identity.…”

Art of transition: A Deleuzoguattarian framework

“…As art and health researchers we have a specific interest in the mental health problems of migrants and refugees. We developed the project Art of Recovery in response to an increasing recognition that refugees appear to benefit from engagement in creative arts (Andemicael, 2011; Dutton, 2017), and participatory arts in particular (Rose & Bingley, 2017; Rose et al., 2018). We welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with Freedom from Torture (FfT) in research exploring the benefits of participatory arts for this group, and how these approaches support the work of health professionals in the field and inform policy makers.…”

“…Data collection included relevant demographic information, observations and discussions within small group workshops and interviews, and visual data in the form of original artworks and photos. We used a qualitative thematic analysis to identify key themes across the data (see Rose et al., 2018 for a detailed discussion of the overall findings of the first programme and conclusions reached).…”