Abstract

The historical-documentary research will assess how the experience of FGC and emigrating from Africa to Canada may affect an individual’s psychological and emotional wellbeing through synthesizing semi-structured interviews with Canadian professionals who work with the particular population and through academic, governmental and nongovernmental documents. It analyzes how art therapy may address the needs of this population if they were to seek therapy for psychological distress related to this experience. The review demonstrated that FGC is experienced differently and it has been correlated with PTSD, anxiety, sexual disorders and depression, while these painful feelings may be expressed through somatization (Behrendt & Moritz, 2005; Chibber et al., 2011). It may also have no psychological repercussions. The study proposes that culturally competent art therapy has the potential to serve certain women who have experienced emotional distress related to FGC, as it holistically integrates the body and the mind in the therapeutic process, enabling expression for populations who tend to repress and/or embody their feelings (Acton, 2000; AMFC, n.d; Malchioldi, 2003). More information on how FGC affects the psychological state of female African diaspora who undergo cultural transition may help health care practitioners offer helpful, sensitive and culturally informed therapeutic interventions.