Category: Whole house Expressive Arts Therapy for Asylum Seekers & Refugees

Category: Whole house Expressive Arts Therapy for Asylum Seekers & Refugees

Expressive Arts Therapy for Asylum Seekers & Refugees


9 December, 2025

Refugees and asylum seekers often find themselves in a liminal space, existing in a gap between the past and the future. In this in-between phase, individuals are neither fully part of their old culture nor fully integrated into a new one.

In Expressive Arts (EXA) therapy, participants are invited into this liminal space through art-making, ritual, and play. This process supports exploration of one's inner landscape, encounters with beauty in the unknown, and the discovery of inner resources. Art helps give shape to fragmented stories and offers a container for emotions that may be difficult to express verbally. It becomes a way to communicate hope, grounded in a resource-oriented approach held with care, compassion, and a thoughtfully crafted therapeutic frame.

This bi-weekly gathering serves as a temporary home for those who are displaced or living in oppression—a space where art becomes a form of testimony. The goal is to foster a sense of belonging and connection, preventing withdrawal, and helping participants move through physical and mental stagnation. Through creativity and imagination, we nurture a sense of hope in the midst of uncertainty.

Note on Group:
For safety and to maintain a consistent dynamic, this will be a closed group with a maximum of 10 participants. This group is currently full. If you're interested in joining future sessions when space becomes available, please send us an email at bodywilderness@gmail.com. We will notify you as soon as a new group is formed. This group will be conducted in English, but all languages are welcome! Non-verbal communication and expression are always encouraged in this space.

What is expressive arts therapy?
Expressive arts therapy is a therapeutic approach that places the creative process at the center of the human experience. It emphasizes the innate creativity of each individual and the heightened sensitivity that enables them to bring new things into being. This integrative approach uses a variety of creative expressions—such as poetry, music, visual arts, theater, clay, movement, and nature-based methods—to help individuals navigate personal challenges/ inquiries and explore their own resources. No previous art experience is required—just your presence.

Bergþórugata 20
Reykjavík, 101
Iceland

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