Healing Words Project Unleashes Language’s Power
Artist Kate Van Doren empowers women around the world through words.
In 2020, Mexican women showed their government what life is like without women participating in society. Called A Day Without Women, the 24-hour strike encouraged women to withdraw from their daily activities to highlight the critical role they play in Mexico’s culture.
Participants protested femicide in Mexico, which has increased by 137 percent over five years.
Broken down on a smaller scale, that’s nearly 10 women killed per day.
Kate Van Doren, MAAT (Masters in Counseling Art Therapy), is a fine artist and one of thousands who participated in the strike on March 9. In 2015, Van Doren moved to Mexico with her family to help her mother-in-law as she went through cancer treatment.
Leading up to the strike, Van Doren had an idea to empower women with healing words and mantras written on their bodies. During the process, Van Doren establishes a personal connection with her collaborators.
“Writing on bodies has been a concept for many, many years, especially in protest,” Van Doren said. “It is very powerful to write words of empowerment to send a message.”
As Van Doren connected with more women, wrote more words and heard more stories, she saw how healing the process was. In 2020, she founded Healing Words Project, a way to use her talents as an artist and therapist to uplift the voices of women and nonbinary individuals through words and photography.
“It’s a heart project,” she said. “I don’t get paid unless I’m hired for a workshop and I like it that way.”
Doing everything with intention
Van Doren’s art represents one part of Healing Words Project and her experience as a trauma-informed therapist represents the other. Due to the project’s healing nature, she doesn’t charge the participants, she just asks that they arrange travel to her studio.
“I believe this healing modality is so powerful and everyone should have access to it.”
When someone books a session, Van Doren asks them to choose a mantra they want written on their body and share the meaning. It’s also a time for sharing, with Van Doren providing a listening ear if somebody wants to open up.
“I like this process because I think everyone, especially every woman, should have a positive mantra in their lives,” Van Doren said. “Our minds are so easily distracted and there’s so much negative self-talk we do.”
During the shoot, Van Doren writes the participants’ chosen words on their bodies, an intentional and mindful act.
“I always ask, ‘Can I touch you? Can I help you?’ Helping women to reclaim those words for themselves is very powerful—but it’s important that whenever you touch someone and you’re working with them you ask them, regardless of their background.”
To ensure quality time with the participants, Van Doren allows no more than eight people in the studio with her. She also assists with wiping the words off at the end, another intimate way she connects with Healing Word Project participants.
“Once the photos are taken and we’ve spent time together, I help them to remove the ink and just the act of using baby wipes is a gentle way of taking care of the skin and body. Everything I do is very intentional around the project.”
Impact beyond Mexico
Information about Healing Words Project spread quickly, thanks to social media. With nearly 40,000 Instagram followers grown from her existing art projects, Van Doren’s network responded positively to her project. As people discovered Healing Words Project, it became an international effort, with participants from India, Pakistan and Iran, all writing words in their mother tongue.
“So many women are modest because society taught us ‘don't be too loud, don't take up space,’” Van Doren said. “I take up space for them when they get to share.”
After a Healing Words Project photo shoot is finished, Van Doren is left with 15 to 50 images. The participants choose their favorites, which are featured on the project’s website and Instagram page, accompanied by their stories of empowerment and healing.
Van Doren further supports Healing Words Project participants by promoting their work, whether it’s a career, passion project or both. For Van Doren, giving proper credit is tantamount to her art.
“Every inspiration I work with is in it with me,” she said. “When my paintings are in publications, their name is there.”
It’s a practice she wishes were more standardized in the art world.
“There is a history of trauma associated with taking photos of people and making money off faces without giving a name or face or credit,” Van Doren said.
Instead, Van Doren uses her talents to empower and raise voices.
“I’m a healer, I'm a therapist and I want to honor the women we’ve lost and I want to honor women and their healing journey.”
To learn more about Healing Words Project, please see the resources below:
Healing Words Project Facebook
Healing Words Project Instagram
Kate Van Doren Fine Art YouTube
I live with chronic migraine, which affects how much work I can take on. On average, I lose one workweek a month to migraine attacks. Not a Fit for Our Publication is my way to raise funds to manage my disease while offering something in return. You can help me out by subscribing to Not a Fit for Our Publication, sharing the website, sharing a free blog post and gifting a subscription.
My wife is a Mexican national who went to a march in downtown Mexico City a few weeks back with her sister. She wrote her name and my phone number on her arm before she went. I asked her why. She told me that it's in case she dies and people can contact me. I was absolutely floored by that. Mexico City is a relatively safe city, but for her to do that, it kind of hit home a little bit differently. I think some 700,000 women went to march downtown on International Women's Day here. She said she saw women with relatives who were victims of femicide, whether these were daughters, mothers, friends, extended family, etc. crying together. It's a real problem here and it's nice that you are talking about it. Thanks for liking my Note today. I'm subscribing. Love the idea behind your publication.
Your first post!!!! 🥰