NADTA 2024 Conference

Crossing borders can be confronting and generate toxic stress related to immigration, poverty, discrimination, lack of services, past trauma and language difficulties. Sometimes borders become barriers inside of the relationships of family when there's no time to create a safe space for acceptance. In the context of the Covid, this factor could generate family violence. The World Health Organization (WHO) proposes to prevent violence by fostering safe, stable and nurturing relationships between children and their parents and caregivers. Parc-Extension Youth Organization (PEYO) has offered for more than thirty years a program of intervention based on utilizing Art and Storytelling in schools located in the culturally diverse neighborhood. This program had positive impacts on the reduction of anxiety (Beauregard et al., 2017; Rousseau et al., 2003.) Responding to the risk of violence, PEYO has adapted an Art and Storytelling program at home with the aim of reducing family anxiety. While respecting family values and dynamics, a series of eight workshops based on interactive stories and creative expression activities encouraged the exploration of dreams, challenges, life knowledge and the multiple living spheres that immigrants experienced in their daily life. In a space focused on acceptance and play, family members reinforced their relationships, developed resilience and built hope. The presentation of Art and Storytelling intervention will be an experiential adventure of playing a tale. A short video of a workshop with an immigrant family will also be presented and the significant learnings of the three years of this research will be discussed.