The ancestral journey narrative: A pilot study using art-based research to explore migration, trauma and resilience

This pilot study explores the impact of traumatic migrations on the mental health of people within the Caribbean diaspora, focusing on storytelling and creative arts as tools for addressing historical trauma. Using a phenomenological approach, it examines how African Caribbean experiences reflect broader histories of colonial violence and migration, utilizing data collection methods such as response art, participant feedback and in-depth group discussion with four creative art therapists. Findings show that storytelling helps inspire discussion, creating pathways for processing trauma, with participants expressing themes of survival, resilience and emotional responses like sadness and hope. Using art-based research, the study connects individual participants’ narratives to the history of enslavement, fostering empathy and offering a therapeutic healing tool. The study highlights the importance of culturally sensitive, intersectional therapy practices, integrating lived experiences to develop transformative multicultural approaches to creative art therapy practice.