A Creative Disaster Response and Recovery Framework for Supporting Extreme Weather Events Affected Communities

Abstract

Climate change is contributing to the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events globally. Numerous Australian communities have been affected by severe bushfires, floods, and droughts over the past decades. In response to natural disasters, art therapists should focus on trauma healing, community resilience, while maintaining adaptability and sensitivity throughout the disaster planning and recovery phases. This viewpoint proposes a phased framework (contain, recover, empower) grounded in trauma recovery models and art therapy disaster-based research. Associated implementation considerations are presented to supplement the framework and support art therapists. The proposed theoretical framework aims to promote wellbeing among survivors, foster community-level resilience, and drive climate actions; while providing a foundation for future program design, pilot implementation, program evaluation, and refinement.

Keywords:

• Extreme weather event
• climate change
• art therapy and disasters
• community resilience
• trauma-informed

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kanling Juric

Kanling Juric, MAT, is an art therapist in private practice in Melbourne, Australia. Correspondence concerning this viewpoint should be addressed to the author at [email protected]