Art Therapy for Nagorno Karabakh Refugees

As some of you may be aware, 100,000 Armenians have been recently displaced from a disputed region between Armenia and Azerbaijan. When Armenia’s army ceded this territory to the encroaching Azeri army last fall, these people were largely forced into resettlement in Armenia proper. They lost their homes, livelihoods, community, way of life, ancestral lands, ancient churches, farms, businesses and more. Many have had family members die and have experienced trauma during this experience as well.

In the wake of this tragedy, I have invited by the US Embassy in Armenia to train mental health providers in Armenia who are serving these refugee children and their families. I will be educating 30+ providers over three days on various trauma-informed art therapy techniques. I also be offering two more training classes for school teachers, meet with refugee families, and a number of organizations providing support for refugees.

I have been chosen for this role for two reasons. First, I am Board certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) and Licensed Professional Art Therapist (LPAT). I've been serving children and adults in this role for about 25 years. Second, I served in the Peace Corps in Armenia from 2000-2003. During this time, I trained Armenian teachers about art therapy and wrote a training booklet. In 2014, I returned to Armenia and offered another training for care providers at Warm Hearth NGO.

I am asking for your help to support the providers who will help these families. I plan to make art therapy supply bundles for everyone I will be training. Since many in Armenia cannot afford theses supplies, this will help them meet the refugee populations’ need more quickly. Sets will have pastels, markers, oil pastels, watercolors and colored pencils. The Embassy will cover my extra baggage to bring these bundles.

All funds raised will be used only for art supply purchases. Or, if my goal is surpassed, I will offer the balance to the "Full Life" NGO, in Armenia, which serves disabled children and adults. I worked with Full Life, 20 years ago when I was serving in the Peace Corps and can testify to their integrity first hand.

I look forward to being able to offer my experience in a way that helps the Armenian people. They gave so much to me and my wife during our time living there. They are a resilient, kind, hospitable people and while they have not been elevated to the main stage of the world’s suffering right now, there are so many in need of this help.

My goal to have allow each provider to have a set of basic materials to facilitate small groups of 6-8 participants. That does add up when considering 30 providers. Please refer to my Go Fund Me update for more details about the art supplies. If you have any questions I’m happy to share my budget for the supplies.

Refer to my web page for more info about me: mitchellcounseling.org

Thank you for your consideration.