El Fuego que Nos Sostiene: Art Therapy Support for Activists and Human Rights Defenders

by Ana Karen San Emeterio Castillo

This thesis explores how an online art therapy support group held from a feminist approach (informed by the feminisms of Abya Yala) could be a tool for the collective care of Human Rights Defenders and activists. Two pilot groups (one in English, one in Spanish) were conducted using a four-axis structure (acuerparnos & apapacharnos, hacer espacio para nuestros sentipensares, celebrar la vida, honrar las resistencias y a quienes resisten) developed for guiding the creative exploration. Second-person action research was used as a methodology as it is, from the researcher’s point of view, a methodology aligned with the essence of social justice, collective care, and feminism. Each axis addressed different needs and challenges the participants faced because of their work: self-care, trauma, structural violence, lack of safety, grief, guilt, disconnection with the body, and COVID-19. The collective knowledge produced in the groups showed that art therapy and art-making in a group could be a resource for working on what impedes us from reaching emotionally sustainable activism. It can be a way of acuerpamiento that allows connectedness, resonance, feeling witnessed, validated, and understood. It can be a way of apapachamiento, allowing participants time to relax, reconnect with their creative side, and pause. It can give space for addressing sentipensares, where activists could talk about how this work impacts them mentally, psychically, spiritually and emotionally without feeling judged while finding support and empathy. It provides a way to honour resistance and those who resist and an outlet to celebrate life and allow themselves moments of joy and pleasure.