Ritsona refugee camp is situated in a remote area of mainland Greece just north of Athens on an abandoned army base that is home to approximately 750 Syrian refugees. We opened our Art Therapy studio here in September 2016 providing mental health support to the men, women and children in the camp.

Art therapy is an effective mental health intervention for individuals suffering from psychological trauma, as it offers the opportunity to express the unspeakable, giving them a voice through a non-threatening and non-verbal medium. Art therapists build trusting, equal and mutually respectful relationships with their clients in order to help them discover emotional tools to manage the challenges of their present and have hope for their future.

During our time here we have observed symptoms of PTSD and mental ill health among the adults and young people. This is due to the serious violence and trauma experienced in war-torn Syria, the arduous journeys they've faced and the inevitable suffering within the camp. We witnessed the distress and low self esteem of many children trying to make sense of the horrors themselves and their parents had experienced.

Through our sessions, we found art therapy to be an accessible resource that seems to bypass cultural differences and language barriers. 

 Our aim is to help support the children and families to cope with their present situation within the camp; promote mental health awareness and help to prevent developments with those already suffering from the affects of experienced trauma.

Any donation you are able to give to help support our cause would be received with much gratitude from Flourish and those that we help.Thank you.