Expressive Arts Therapy Group for Immigrant Youth in Israel: A Parallel Process of Group and Societal Integration

Abstract

The aim of the current paper is to describe participants’ experiences and examine the effects of group therapy on self-esteem, self-expression and social skills among a group of immigrant children in Israel. The presented group illustrates the effectiveness of Art Therapy modality within that population, which is caught in a complex situation of both developmental and socio-cultural transition. Expressive Arts help the group members to address these difficulties; music, accompanied by play and arts, promotes mutual identification and empathy, and leads to group cohesion as a Creative Container.