Art therapy in the Caribbean
Opinion
InSight – Summer 2023
Art therapists, Kim Valldejuli and Lesli-Ann Belnavis Elliott have published their opinion piece in the International Journal for Art Therapy. They tell us what it’s about and why you should read it.
Kim
“Our article addresses the historical development of art therapy and its roots in European thought and practice, and how this is reflected in art therapy training.
This Eurocentric view of art therapy often neglects the cultural experiences of students and clients from and within the Caribbean.
I think this article is really useful because it started out as a discussion between a few Caribbean arts therapists based in the Caribbean from the Caribbean who had trained abroad, and who had all returned to our countries and practice. We started to have a dialogue about things that we noticed and things that we thought needed to be addressed.”
Lesli-Ann
“You know, as a student from the Caribbean of Afro descent, not having certain references or examples of experiences in terms of systemic racism within training and the knowledge of art therapy, this information is needed and I think it would be very fruitful for anybody who’s reading it.
In the article we argue that Afrocentric approaches should be integrated into arts therapy training with key focus and consideration for the historical context and the impact of oppression, gender, class, socioeconomic status on the role and identity of the art therapists and the clients that we work with.”
Read Kim and Lesli-Ann’s article
You can read Lesli-Ann and Kim’s full article in the special issue of the International Journal of Art Therapy on intersectionality and art therapy.
International Journal of Art Therapy is a leading publication of international art therapy literature and the official journal of the British Association of Art Therapists. Our members get free access to all articles via the memberzone.