Identity and belongingness of Asian art therapy educators: critical art-based collaborative autoethnography

Background: Societal conflicts, racial oppression, and marginalisation can contribute to a sense of isolation among Asian and Asian-American art therapists, increasing their risks of burnout and disengagement from the field of art therapy. Fostering belongingness and connection within cultural and professional communities can strengthen a diverse and inclusive art therapy workforce.

Aims: This study examines the lived experiences of four Asian/Asian-American art therapy educators navigating professional, cultural, and sociopolitical contexts.

Methods: This collaborative autoethnography consists of individual self-reflection and collective dialogue, facilitated by reflexive art-making, conducted over one year to provide insight into the following topics: (1) Multiple identities, (2) Belonging, (3) Identity in the Classroom, and (4) Mentoring.

Results: Through the intersubjective analysis of personal narratives and art-making, this qualitative study revealed a pervasive theme of compartmentalisation and disconnection between the perceived professional and personal selves, contributing to a profound sense of non-belonging.

Conclusions: Factors driving this disconnection include the lack of validation and curiosity, stereotyping and devaluation, repeated needs to explain culture and race-related issues, and insufficient accountability for microaggressions. To address these challenges, we propose cultivating curiosity, fostering collective responsibility, and promoting active inclusion as pathways to bridge disconnection.

Implications: Our findings contribute to a conceptual framework of belongingness, emphasising the integration of professional and personal identities through community care. This study underscores the importance of addressing systemic inequities and fostering community care to enhance belonging within the art therapy field and beyond.

Plain-language summary
We are four Asian/Asian-American art therapy educators who came together to explore our experiences in professional, cultural, and sociopolitical contexts. Through collective storytelling and art-making, we discovered a common struggle: compartmentalising our identities, keeping our ‘public’ professional selves separate from our ‘private’ personal selves. This separation, while offering protection, left us feeling disconnected and unsupported, contributing to a deeper sense of non-belonging. Art-making played a key role in helping us explore these experiences layered through multiple identities. In our discussions, we identified several factors contributing to this disconnection, including a lack of validation and curiosity, being stereotyped and undervalued, having to repeatedly explain culture and race-related issues, and the absence of accountability for microaggressions. These challenges often forced us to hide parts of who we are to fit into environments dominated by others’ expectations. As we reflected on our journeys, we realised the importance of creating bridges between our professional and personal selves. Fostering curiosity, taking shared responsibility, and actively including diverse voices emerged as essential steps toward building connection and belonging. Together, we developed a vision for integrating all parts of our identities through community care and mutual support. This process gave us a space to reconnect and reclaim our voices while highlighting the need for systemic change in academia and beyond. Ultimately, our work emphasizes that belonging is not a static achievement but an ongoing, collective process rooted in connection, mutual support, and community care.