Soul Sessions: Empowering Members of a Creative Arts Therapy Group and Building Community Resilience Through a Participatory Action Research Project

Art therapy is an interactive approach that is used as a therapeutic intervention for people with histories of trauma. At Harlem United, a NYC-based nonprofit organization, a creative art therapy group is offered to clients who experience intersectional challenges including living with HIV and other chronic health conditions, having substance use disorder and/or mental health conditions, and experiencing the impacts of persistent poverty. This report explores how a participatory action research framework was used to develop and execute Soul Sessions , a two-part event series that sought to empower creative art therapy clients to share and own their story, which in turn reinforced the impact of art on the healing process. The report explores the challenges of maintaining the integrity of art therapy while also producing events that could be impactful to others. Findings from the project include a deepened understanding of the power of art as a strategy for sharing narratives about marginalized communities and building community resilience.