Ecologies of Becoming: Reflections by Aysha

As we reflect on the many ways we show up for healing, art, and justice, we’re thrilled to share this beautiful reflection from Aysha; art therapist, community arts worker, creative thinker, and one of the brilliant humans who completed their placement with us in 2024 and is now a beautiful part of our constellation of care.

From collective care to cultural practice, from school groups to women’s refuges, Aysha shares what it means to learn, unlearn, and become together. Read on for Ecologies of Becoming.

Last year, between attending Sunday rallies for a Free Palestine and delivering a community archiving project, I was busy completing a Master of Therapeutic Arts Practice at MIECAT, and I’d like to tell you all about it. I’m Aysha, one of the art therapists at Rainbow Muse Collective. Last year, I was on placement with Chenai as my supervisor and Lucy as my guide. I learned so much from them and the rest of the collective about challenging hierarchical structures within organisations. It may come easily to talk about—but putting it into practice is an entirely different thing. On my first day, we were moving clinics! From Dandenong to Ferntree Gully. Chenai was already plastering rainbows all over the walls, welcoming us to a new location. I couldn’t help but draw a connection between shifting locations and the conversations my colleagues and I would soon have about dismantling hierarchical and bureaucratic ways of working.

Having worked in local and state governments, I've become accustomed to relying on hierarchical communication, often seeking permission for my own thoughts, especially when they deviate from the norm. I carried this into my placement but was taken aback when Chenai showed me how unnecessary these formalities were.Chenai trusted me more than I trusted myself. Inside me, there was a constant battle—my values of wanting to do the right thing clashing with my constant need for reassurance. A tightrope I knew well, but the space around it, not so much. I was afraid. But Chenai could see that I already had the experience and knowledge to do what needed to be done, and that gave me the confidence to freely explore the space around me.

At Rainbow Muse, working with diverse clients and having autonomy in my practice, while being supported by more experienced creative therapists, has been a beautiful form of collective care. Chenai calls it “a beautiful container holding multiple smaller containers.”. For me, these containers are full of care, showing how communal and collective structures can encourage growth and learning in a space that is safe to both play and work. Part of the power of empathetic witnessing, being seen and heard, works to subvert oppressive power dynamics and makes it possible to build genuine trust (Neville & van Laar 2020, p.65), which is rarely present in rigid, vertically structured workplaces. This experience shaped my practice: to value the experiences people bring in and to work as a collective.

It was through this experience that I developed my art project for my final semester, using my own cultural practices as a guide to inform processes of healing and exploration of trauma and the self. Reconnecting with my cultural roots helped me explore healing through collective experiences. Creating a hand-bound book inspired by Oromo traditions taught me the power of integrating cultural practices into therapeutic work. This allowed me to incorporate attentiveness and responsiveness to one another in my community, taking a step towards strength-based relational ethics (Kirkwood & Brown 2020, p.42). This process emphasised the importance of grounding therapy in community, self-expression, and shared histories. In turn, this strengthened my ability to create culturally relevant and meaningful spaces for my clients.

While delivering an art therapy program at Timbarra College, in my school group, we did a "weather report" to check in on how everyone was feeling, helping set the tone for our sessions. I’ve seen students pause their work to check on each other—a reminder that creativity offers ways of communicating beyond words. That this is an important part of work. Valuing these parts of ourselves helps inform the support structures we have in shared spaces—something I saw throughout my entire year of placement.

While at Prahran Highschool with Lucy, I worked with a group of vibrant young students who when given the chance were incredible insightful and had so much going on in their lives. Having Lucy there as a guide to model off, to debrief with after sessions, and someone who always made space for me, was one of the most supportive aspects of my time at Rainbow Muse.

Towards the end of the year, I had the opportunity to develop and deliver a funded program with Uniting at Viv’s Place, a women’s refuge, working with children for seven weeks. Each week, we explored different methods of expression to explore the different parts of their lives and identities—from one-minute dramas to pipe-cleaner sculptures. This culminated in a final community painting day, where their families and friends joined us to paint panels for a mural that was displayed in one of the communal areas. This experience reinforced the importance of play and visual arts in helping us make sense of the world and affirm our own experiences.

Reflecting on my last year, key takeaways have been the importance of trusting myself in the decisions I make. Finding soft structures that support autonomy while holding space for clients to express themselves freely is essential. Letting go of the tightrope, staying present and open to what emerges with each day. I hope to continue fostering a collective approach, where experience and communal care are deeply valued, and culturally responsive ways of being are co-created.

Blog post By Aysha Tufa: Aysha Paints @ Rainbow Muse Collective

References

Kirkwood, C., & Brown, J. (2024). The Relationship is the Project: A guide to working with communities. NewSouth.

Neville, A., & van Laar, C. (2020). The balancing act: Performing stories of our practice within systems of the state. Journal of Creative Arts Therapies, 15(1), 64-73.