Tejiendo redes de historias, tejiendo redes de apoyo: promoción de la salud mental en comunidad

Abstract

Currently, there is a variety of therapeutic strategies, including art therapy and storytelling therapy, to support individuals with mental health diagnoses in their recovery process. However, it is essential to take actions to promote community mental health, especially during childhood. Storytelling therapy, for instance, emerges as a valuable tool for children to foster emotional expression and to develop socio-emotional skills through the creation of their own stories. This research developed a program combining reading and reflection workshops with the creation of children's stories as a methodological strategy to facilitate the expression of participants' experiences and learning. Both the workshops and the stories underwent a systematization process to gain an in-depth understanding of children's experiences, identify the contributions of the intervention, and generate knowledge about promoting community mental health in childhood. The results show that recognizing emotions as an integral part of the human experience fosters greater acceptance and understanding of one's own emotions and those of others. Additionally, they highlight the importance of emotions in establishing healthy and meaningful social relationships that promote empathy, solidarity, compassion, and mutual support. Likewise, the study emphasizes the role of communities as support networks for emotional well-being.