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Combining art therapy and mindfulness in meeting the needs of refugees and asylum seekers is a novel innovation. This paper presents the integration of these approaches, and draws on examples from a short term art therapy and mindfulness meditation studio group, named Inhabited Studio . Art therapy and mindfulness are demonstrated to complement each other, and where there are points of divergence these are indicated. Consideration is given to how these approaches can be combined to help individuals build strategies for safety, support resilience, and work with multiple levels of loss, after extreme and traumatic experiences. The article considers eleven features of the combination of art therapy and mindfulness meditation. Results of implementation of the treatment approach indicate that, when combined, mindfulness and art therapy address different aspects of the individual experience, and social context, through engagement in processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little research on dance/movement therapy (DMT) programs for childhood sexual abuse survivors has been reported. This paper presents the results of a DMT program designed to address the adaptive issue of building healthy relationships with the self and others among Chinese childhood sexual abuse (CSA) survivors. The program emphasizes development of a sense of security and the setting of appropriate boundaries, along with the concepts of place and space. Twenty-five female Chinese CSA survivors (age range 25-52 years) attended a five-session two-hour weekly DMT program in Hong Kong. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Courtauld Emotional Control Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and Stagnation Scale (SS) were administered before (T0), after (T1), and five weeks after the sessions (T2) to measure the program's potential effects. Qualitative feedback was also collected from the participants to better understand their experiences during the program. Analysis of the quantitative data showed changes with small effect sizes in the GHQ, RSES, and Overattachment subscale of the SS but no changes reached statistical significance. The qualitative feedback from the participants demonstrated the program's positive effects to be related primarily to its therapeutic elements. Participants reported finding their inner rhythm and space, developing greater awareness of personal boundaries, enhanced understanding of relationships, and hopes for a better future. Introducing and exploring the concepts of place and space in the DMT program not only provided the participating CSA survivors with a concrete and direct bodily experience but also helped them to articulate physical experiences with a sense of security, freedom, and boundaries. Further investigation with a more rigorous research design and a larger sample size is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]