The Power of Art to Cope With Trauma: Psychosocial Intervention After the Tsunami in Japan

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Abstract

This article describes the significance of an art-based psychosocial intervention with a group of 9 head kindergarten teachers in Japan after the 2011 tsunami, as co-constructed by Japanese therapists and an Israeli arts therapist. Six core themes emerged from the analysis of a group case study: (1) mutual playfulness and joy, (2) rejuvenation and regaining control, (3) containment of a multiplicity of feelings, (4) encouragement of verbal sharing, (5) mutual closeness and support, and (6) the need to support cultural expression. These findings suggest that art making can enable coping with the aftermath of natural disasters. The co-construction underscores the value of integrating the local Japanese culture when implementing Western arts therapy approaches. It is suggested that art-based psychosocial interventions can elicit and nurture coping and resilience in a specific cultural context and that the arts and creativity can serve as a powerful humanistic form of posttraumatic care.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Humanistic Psychology
DOIs
StatePublished - 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2020.

Keywords

  • Japan
  • art-based intervention
  • art-therapy
  • natural disaster
  • psychosocial aid
  • resilience
  • trauma

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology
  • Philosophy
  • Sociology and Political Science

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