This 3-hour virtual workshop explores the intersections of body politics, queer identity, and creative process through the lens of social action art therapy and expressive modalities. Drawing from a harm reduction and trauma-informed framework, participants will examine how body image struggles within queer communities are shaped by societal norms, oppression, and resilience practices. Together, we will explore how artmaking, movement, breathwork, and sensory-based practices can provide effective healing in treatment and create space for radical re-imaginings of the body. Within therapeutic contexts, social action art therapy serves not only as a means of individual expression, but also as a tool for collective empowerment and advocacy. Participants will learn strategies for using these approaches in virtually any clinical setting and how they can be adapted for clients of all ages and abilities. By incorporating both visual and embodied forms of expressive therapy, this workshop highlights ways to engage queer clients who may not typically respond to traditional approaches, offering an effective way for working with populations often underserved in mental health care. This session is designed for counselors and psychotherapists working with Queer clients, but the tools and practices offered will enhance our work as clinicians more broadly. Generalists and specialists alike will be introduced to practical, experiential methods for use in treatment with individuals and groups. Through the creative process, participants will discover how social action art therapy and expressive practices can deepen daily therapeutic work, enhance emotional development, and open pathways toward collective healing and social change.
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