Art Therapy with Elder Refugee Community

In collaboration with Catholic Charities Maine: Elder Services Program, Many Moons offers weekly art therapy programming at the Elder Refugee Center in downtown Portland. Catholic Charities is the primary provider of resettlement services to refugees in Maine. The majority of the participants arrived in the Unites States with minimal belongings and significant emotional, physical, and social trauma. Stephanie's intervention offers opportunities to express personal narratives through non-verbal, creative, and joyful exercises. Through the use of multiple interpreters, clients are able to share about their artwork, lived experience, and the impact art has on their emotional life.

"Stephanie makes us happy and brings joy with her art to us."
— Mariam T.

"In Congo, we used to make art to just push time. Now we make art to feel good."
— Juliana L.

"Since coming here, my hands do not hurt so much."
— Kiath W.