Inhabited studio: Art therapy and mindfulness, resilience, adversity and refugees

ABSTRACT

This article looks at two refugee women from different countries who took part in the Inhabited Studio, an art therapy and mindfulness studio which follows an imaginative studio approach. Through these women the article highlights the use of mindfulness and art therapy practice in the context of political violence, trauma and resilience. The themes of safety, imagination, art therapy and mindfulness are explored and the distinctive role these can play in work with political violence. By incorporating both art therapy and mindfulness into one model, the Studio was able to adapt to different people, beliefs, copings skills and traumatic experiences.

KEYWORDS:

• Art therapy
• mindfulness meditation
• refugees
• political violence
• trauma
• resilience

Notes on contributor

Debra Kalmanowitz, PhD, has worked extensively in the context of trauma, political violence, and social change, locally, internationally and in countries of conflict. Debra has worked with refugees, asylum seekers, survivors of torture and disasters for over 20 years. She is currently working in Liberia where she began with trauma towards the end of Ebola and is now working on a project which is focused on gender-based violence. Debra is an Honorary Research Associate at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), Centre on Behavioural Health and is the co-author of the edited books Art therapy and political violence: With art, without illusion, Art therapy in Asia: To the bone or wrapped in silk and co-author of The portable studio: Art therapy and political conflict: Initiatives in the former Yugoslavia and South Africa.