This study evaluated the effectiveness of a social action art therapy session to address symptoms of stress and compassion fatigue in counsellors working in domestic violence (DV) and sexual assault (SA) services. Participants were adult women (N = 30) who work with client survivors of DV and SA. Participants participated in three groups based on their workplace, and were asked to create art for a group peace pole. The peace pole has currency within the DV support community as a symbol of hope and safety. After creating individual artworks, each member glued their canvas squares onto the peace pole to create a unified group piece of art. The Compassion Fatigue Self-Test was used to measure compassion fatigue, and the Psychological Stress Measure 9 provided information regarding pre- and post-measures of symptomology changes. The results supported the hypothesis that participation in a social action art therapy-based session could significantly reduce stress.

Eating disorders among queer identities are statistically higher than heterosexual or cisgender counterparts in the population; Parker and Harbinger (2020) note that 54% of LGBT adolescents have been diagnosed with an eating disorder during their lifetime, with an additional 21% suspecting that they had an eating disorder at some point during their lifetime (1). Thus, it is not uncommon in our practices to have many individuals identifying along the LGBTQIA spectrum as an intersecting factor in their experience of an eating disorder.

This book will cover the intersections of expressive arts therapy, somatic bodywork, and harm reduction in working with/being in a Queer body (and intersecting marginalized identities). In a world where most of us experience trauma and violence toward our bodies on some level, a book that can guide people through learning these concepts can help us manage, cope, survive, and develop resilience.