Embodied
Narratives

Hannah Zipes
Department of Counseling, Pennsylvania Western University
COUN 7550: Research
Dr. Treadon
August 6, 2024

Terms
●
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Cis-Het: individuals who identify with
their sex assigned at birth and are
attracted to the opposite sex
Queer: a socio-political term that goes
beyond the description of identity to
encompass a critique of social norms, a
call for political action, and a theoretical
framework for understanding sexuality
and gender in society

Purpose Statement
To develop a research proposal that includes a
curriculum for the utilization of tattoos as an art
therapy tool within the queer community.

“It always feels important to me to reveal who I am as the author of
these ideas, and the lineage I draw upon.” - adrienne maree brown

01

02

03

White

Queer & Non-Binary

Tattooed

Privilege, Westernized,
Appropriation

Heightened sensitivity to
issues of identity and selfexpression

Bias toward therapeutic
potential

05

04

Student Art Therapist

Artist

How identity shapes
professional development and
approach

Creative and interdisciplinary
approach

Justification
Minority
Stress Theory
● Experiences of stigma,
discrimination, and prejudice
● Adverse mental and physical health
outcomes

Gay-Related
Stress
● Chronic and persistent
● Social and cultural contexts

Statistics
● 13% queer people had a suicidal
attempt contrasted with 2% of cishet individuals
● Over 50% of queer population
engaged in suicidal ideation; 13.6% in
cis-het
● 61% queer people are diagnosed with
anxiety; 39.3% of cis-het

Foundations
Queer Theory
●
●

Challenge and
deconstruct dominant
narratives
Reject normative
frameworks to create
non-normative modes
of intimacy and
sociality

Body
Psychotherapy
(BPT)

Narrative
Therapy
●
●
●

Empowers to reclaim
and reshape
Challenge cis-het
Grand Narrative
Supports individual
self-acceptance and
broader social change

●
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Body and mind
function as a whole
Memories stored in
the body
Body as a site of
healing, expression,
and transformation

Adversity
Family Rejection
Political Erasure
Pathologization
Social Acceptance

●
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Rejected youth are more likely to
experience mental health issues
Lack of visibility and
representation leading to further
marginalization
Legacy of pathologization
influences societal attitudes
Counter culture link between
queer folks and tattoos

Therapeutic Potential of Tattoos
Human Body as Art
●
●

Body decoration as a way to
explore and challenge norms
Human body as symbolism of
status, emotions, and
individuality

Tattooing Motivations
●
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Constructed social figurations
Declaration of non-normative
ideologies
Expression of radical self-love

Pain
●
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Nietzsche’s value of suffering
Pain as a call to action
Mind-body connection

“So what is pleasant there is the feeling of
growing beyond patterns that you’re
trapped in: you’re finding out that a slight
or a loss that seemed unendurable is
perhaps bearable after all.”
-Colin Klein

Tattoos as an Art Therapy Tool
Art Therapy
●
●
●

Embodied symbols
encapsulating personal
narratives and emotional truths
Utilizing tattoo imagery to
explore
Promotion of psychological
well-being and resilience
through catharsis,
empowerment, and selfdiscovery

Ritual Tattoos
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From commemoration to
rebellion
Samoan tatau
Maori ta moko
Japanese irezumi
Ability to forge connections
and foster community

Embodied Narratives
Purpose
Externalize internal conflicts,
develop coping strategies, and
gain insight into experiences.

Instructions
●
●
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Linear
Intervention outline
Discussion posts

Administration
●
●

Population
Use by a master’s level
art therapist with queer
experiences

Limitations
●
●
●

Research
Ethical considerations
Participant choice

Session Format
●
●

Cohort of 6-8 members
1x/week for 2 hours

Prescreen
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●
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C-SSRS
SHI
RSES
KHTP

Pre-Screen

Columbia-Suicidality
Severity Rating Scale
●
●

Risk assessment
“Moderate” or higher will be
excluded

Self-Harm Inventory
●
●

Lifetime prevalence of selfharm
“5” or higher will be excluded

Rosenberg SelfEsteem Scale
●

●

Measure overall selfworth/acceptance
Before and at 6-month debrief

Kinetic-House-TreePerson
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Emotional and psychological
functioning
Before and at 6-month debrief

Week 1: Preparing the Mind & Body
Intro/Warm-up (30)
●
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Explain purpose
Establish group norms
Body Scan

Reflection Questions (20)
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How do the elements represent
healing?
What insights have you gained?
How does this apply to getting
a tattoo?

Main Intervention (45)
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Using body scan, explore
healing needs
Color meanings
Nurture

Cool-down (15)
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Holding space and vulnerability
Placement of tattoo impacting
meaning

Week 2: Imagery Exploration
Intro/Warm-up (30)
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Check-in
2 levels of disclosure
Permanence

Reflection Questions (20)
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How do you want others to
engage?
Meaning of placement?
How does size relate to
reclamation?

Main Intervention (45)
●
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●

3 parts: design, body
placement, and size
Collage
Explore symbols, images, and
phrases

Cool-down (15)
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●

Choose symbol/image from
intervention and draw on body
How does it feel?

Week 3: Finding an Artist
Intro/Warm-up (30)
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Check-in
Choosing an artist
Ideal safe space/community

Reflection Questions (20)
●
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●

Explain how elements build
safety
Red and green flags?
How are boundaries respected?

Main Intervention (45)
●
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Use model magic to create
ideal “tattoo studio”
What/who is in the space?
How are trust and open
communication represented?

Cool-down (15)
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Create “tattoo” design that
represents what you learned
How would you carry this
symbol with you?

Safe
space

Week 4: Resolution
Intro/Warm-up (30)
●
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●

Check-in
Anticipation
Song and bilateral finger
painting

Reflection Questions (20)
●
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How does it feel seeing the
journey?
How will a tattoo impact your
life?

Main Intervention (45)
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Past challenges and growth
Present state and design
Future goals
Center for self-reflection and
mindfulness

Cool-down (15)
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Draw chosen design on skin
where they plan on placing the
tattoo
How does it feel drawing your
design on yourself?

My best work

Use an image instead of a long text. You can replace
the images on the screen with your own work. Just
right-click on them and select “Replace image”

6-Month Debrief
Intro/Warm-up (30)
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Check-in
RSES
KHTP

Reflection Questions (20)
●
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How does your tattoo impact
you?
What surprise you about the
process?

Main Intervention (45)
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Body Scan
Place your tattoo on the scan
Compare

Cool-down (15)
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Goodbye postcard
What you have learned and
what you want to remind
yourself of
Image on front, message on
back

Limitations/Future research
Risks
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Potential regret
Breaking skin
Stigma

Ethics
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Overlap between tattooing and
art therapy
Informed consent
Boundaries

Development
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A comprehensive literature
review does not currently exist
Hypothetical

Future
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Art therapist who is a tattooer
Expanding to online cohorts
Continuing conversations

Thanks!
Do you have any questions?
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