Longing and belonging: making mobiles in art therapy with young Ukrainian refugees

ABSTRACT

Background

Displaced young people are at risk of adverse effects on their psychological wellbeing due to their experiences of war and resettlement. Art therapy can offer a safe space in which to address trauma and promote resilience.

Context

This paper describes art therapy with a group of displaced Ukrainians aged 13–16 in a British secondary school. It focuses on the activity of making hanging mobiles in order to explore conflicted feelings around home and belonging.

Approach

The intervention was informed by theories of resilience, with the intention of preventing the negative effects of traumatic experience by providing opportunities for creativity and reflection. The need of young refugees to experience psychological safety in order to continue with the developmental tasks of adolescence was also considered.

Outcomes

Half of the group found the activity beneficial in gaining insight into conflicting feelings around belonging and providing a positive experience of agency and control through creativity. The other half of the group benefitted less and found it difficult to reflect on their artmaking. ‘Feelings’ Cups’, an outcome measure devised for the group, was used alongside the YP-Core (Clinical Outcomes for Routine Evaluation for Young People) together with verbal and written feedback.

Conclusions

The mobile-making activity has potential for use with dislocated young people and others in a position of uncertainty and change.

Implications for research

There is a need for more research to examine and evidence the role art therapy can play in promoting resilience in displaced young people.

Plain-language summary

This paper describes art therapy with a group of displaced Ukrainians aged 13–16 in a British secondary school. It focuses on the activity of constructing hanging mobiles to help explore difficult feelings around home and belonging.

Refugees find it distressing to be without a home until they are able to resettle in a safe place. Adolescents may find it particularly difficult because they are already struggling with issues of identity and belonging as they move from childhood to adulthood. The mobile-making activity was designed to use creativity and insight to help build resilience. When young people are more resilient, they will suffer less from traumatic experiences.

To measure changes during therapy, a form, ‘Feelings’ Cups’, was devised for the group and used alongside a standard form together with verbal and written feedback from the young people. Half of the group found the mobile-making activity helpful. It gave them a positive feeling of being in control and helped them to think about their feelings. The other half of the group did not find the activity helpful. They did not enjoy the artmaking and found it too difficult to think about their feelings. For some refugees this activity might be helpful and could be used again. It is necessary to carry out more research to find out exactly how art therapy can help young people become more resilient.

KEYWORDS:

• Art therapy
• refugee
• adolescent
• Ukrainian
• trauma
• resilience

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the young people who agreed to share their experiences. Thanks to my co-facilitator Lolita Leistromate and to Helen Jury for support in preparing the manuscript for publication.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jess Gordon

Jess Gordon gained her MA in Art Psychotherapy at the University of South Wales in 2022. She is currently employed part time in a school counselling service working with Ukrainian refugees and part time by the NHS in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board Learning Disabilities Arts Therapies team.