Finding Home: A Qualitative Study on Healing Homelessness through Expressive Arts Engagement

Abstract

This phenomenological study seeks to expand the understanding of the impacts of expressive arts engagement on the mental health and trauma among homeless youth through the experiences of professionals working with those populations. Organizations across Massachusetts and Minnesota were selected based off their organizational mission statements for helping the homeless youth population, as well as referrals. This study demonstrates expressive arts engagement as one of the many tools in working through trauma and mental illness seen in the homeless youth population. Organizations should work towards the successful integration of the arts and healing mental illness found among youth homelessness.