Conducted by Reem abu Kishk

The session was held at an art studio, We began the session with brief introductions and warmup exercises to help participants feel present, comfortable, and engaged. Reem guided us through a few dance, movement, and breathing exercises, encouraging us to let loose and have fun. She then asked us to think of all the emotions we had experienced that day, and to pick one to act out. Each participant raised a different emotion, and this allowed us to discuss the range of experiences we live each and every day, both positive and negative. She encouraged us to let go of all the negative emotions, reminding us that everything passes and nothing is permanent.

We then began with the collage work. Reem briefly discussed what a safe space is, without getting into too much detail to allow participants’ imaginations to guide their work. We then proceeded to examine everyone’s collages, and each participant presented their collage, explaining the imagines they selected and what safe spaces meant for them. We saw several themes come up in the exercise: motherly love, nature, validation (from friends, pets, partners, families), connection with something bigger than the self, as well as solitude.

Reem closed the session by asking for participants to reflect on their experience and what they had learned. Most participants reported feeling lighter and more at ease after the exercises, feeling grateful for the tools and resources they all possessed, that they can fall back on when things get tough.

About Reem:

Reem is a drama therapist and psychosocial expert who has worked extensively on social and emotional learning, gender dynamics and power disparities with local and international NGOs. She is a dedicated to working with marginalized communities, refugee needs, and gender inequalities from a socio-cultural lens. She is an ally of the community and always looks forward to exploring drama therapy as a modality of healing.