Letting the Images Speak for Themselves: An Art Therapy Grant Proposal Project for Survivors of Torture

Even upon resettlement, survivors of torture from refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds often experience a range of physical and psychological consequences rooted in both pre- and post-migration factors that can worsen their mental health outcomes. As a result of torture, individuals are alienated from their personhood, sense of dignity, and intrinsic worth as a human being. The purpose of this capstone grant proposal project was to secure funding for the development of an art therapy program at the Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience, a collaborative which provides legal and social services to immigrant, refugee and asylum-seeker survivors of torture in the Greater Philadelphia region. The literature review highlighted the needs and concerns of survivors of torture, outlining the current interventions utilized in the resettlement context and providing support for the implementation of art therapy with this particular population. A letter of inquiry and a grant proposal were written to meet the criteria outlined by the van Ameringen Foundation, to secure partial funding for an art therapy program for survivors of torture. A synthesis of the literature, reflections on clinical work and on the grant writing process were offered, highlighting the importance of developing culturally sensitive and appropriate interventions for survivors of torture that circumvent the need for verbal expression.M.A., Art Therapy and Counseling -- Drexel University, 201