Graduation Date
2023
Document Type
Doctoral Dissertation
Project Type
Qualitative Study
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Art Therapy
Program
Art Therapy
Program Director
Lisa Hinz, PhD, ATR-BC
First Reader
Amy Backos, PhD, ATR-BC
Second Reader
Claudia Mezzera, PhD
Abstract
This study explores how an art-based narrative allows Latinas to explore their own experiences of cultural integration in a way that honors their lived experience. The women used art materials to help them explore their identities and, through this process, discovered new truths about themselves through their stories of living between, within, and outside of both cultures. The art acted as a catalyst to express feelings the women had never before questioned or recognized in themselves and, in doing so, allowed them to create meaning and discover parts of their identities they had never explored before. This further allowed the women to amplify their voices, feel heard, and expose strengths they were not previously aware of. The multiplicity of identity and acknowledgment of the intersectionality of their lives facilitated a deeper clarity in participants’ Latinx – individuals of Latin American descent of all genders, including those who do not fit the binary gender - and American identities in a way that challenged the dominant oppressive narrative - the stories that uphold existing power dynamics - of both cultures. The overarching theme that the women hoped to attain was authenticity of self. Through the storytelling and art-making processes, the women were able to make meaning of their lived experiences in ways that they described as empowering. This research informs mental health practitioners by providing information about how to better understand the Latina experience and serve this growing population of mental health consumers. This research also contributes to the art therapy literature on how art plays a role in deepening these conversations.
IRB Number
11059